letter to the editor

The events taking place on 31 October 2007 may although seem a very distant memory or reminiscent dream; but in reality they serve as a horrific memory forever engraved in my mind.
That 29th started unusually early due to a scheduled tonsillectomy. The surgery went fine and although I felt a little pain the next day I seemed healed, although on the Oct 31 I began to bleed in inner area of my throat.
I hastily secured a ride to the only place that I believed that I could receive help, the Southern University Health Center.
I now believe this decision to be one of the most irresponsible of my adult life seeing as upon my entry no one seemed to care that I was bleeding, at that point profusely. I then barged into the clinical area with blood flowing from my mouth as if I was in a surreal horror picture. The response I got made me panic even more. An array of uncaring health care professionals did nothing for me.
I would say upon my arrival it took the nurse in charge between 10-15 minutes to even respond to me, although her presence did little much to worsen the situation. She seemed to chastise me for spitting blood on the floor and made what seemed like no attempt to help me in what I felt could have been the very last minutes of my life, although she did attempt to get me to sign insurance documents. In those very moments I wondered where the doctor and nurse practitioner on staff were located, but there were none on duty.
I honestly felt as though all I could do was pray seeing that in my time of need these health care professionals seemed to care little about the welfare of the student. I felt as though the blood was drowning me and became queasy at the very sight of it pouring from my mouth. The nurses left me unattended for what seemed like prolonged intervals as they discussed a missing chart. Could this not wait? When I got to the ambulance I breathe a sigh of relief that I finally was on my way to a facility where I would receive adequate medical care. I cringe to think of what would have happened if the ambulance would have taken just a little bit longer. Would I have died? The next two nights I slept in the hospital and no one even called from the school to check if I was not ok nor did anyone call my emergency contact number listed in my chart.
The health center at Southern University seems to serve as a blemish upon the face of the institution. The desire of the administration to cut costs and penny pinch has left the students uncared for and I dare even say at serious risk. People at this campus hide behind fancy titles, grandeur desk, and unearned salaries; and it is time that they rise above this and insure that the students are safe. I think that if we look to the books people are getting paid unfair salaries and cheating the students by allowing the center to close at 4:30 and sign out at 5:00. The bit of information that I find most humorous is the fact that an administrator told me that people enjoy the health center and they do not know where these complaints can possibly come from. I WONDER WHAT STUDENTS THEY COME DOWN FROM THEIR IVORY TOURS AND ASK! The fact that Doctors and Nurse practitioners are salaried to be at the facility but are not at best seems like thievery.
Congresswoman Barbara Jordan once spoke the words, “who then will speak for the common good?”
Today I ask the same.
Jamal Taylor