Patient-Centered Care

I said there would be more to the story about my husband and the lack of ability to reach him in an emergency. SO many, SO SO MANY times I have tried to reach my husband - in an emergency (not to get milk on the way home) - and each and EVERY time I've been denied. Each new instance seems to wipe out an older one, here are some lately:

In August, Adam's dad fell from a 25 foot chemical tank onto the cement floor. Head first. I got a call at work from my brother in law, saying Papa had been critically injured and was in an ambulance and to meet them at the hospital. Immediately, I started calling my husband.

Security officer: "(Corporation name) Security."
Me: "I need you to please page my husband, Adam. His father has been critically injured and I need to reach him."
Officer: "I'm sorry, he's not on my list of people I can page. Would you like to leave a message?"
Me: "NO. I need to reach him. His father is dying and he needs to be notified. They are going to airlift him to Wichita, and he needs to come NOW."
Officer: "Please hold, I will put you through to his supervisor."
VOICEMAIL
I press # and get back to the officer.
Me: "That was a voicemail. I need someone NOW."
Officer: "I can put you through to HR."
Me: "NO!" Too late.
VOICEMAIL
I press # and get back to the officer.
Officer: "Security."
Me: "That was another voicemail. I need you to get my husband NOW or I will send a local police office to get him in person."
Officer: "Please hold."

I wait and wait. As I arrive at the ER, run in holding my cell phone to see Papa as he's prepared for flight, someone comes on the line. "This is Matt. Can I help you?"

Me: "Matt, I don't know who you are, but I need you to find my husband. His father may not make it to see Adam again, and I need him here as soon as possible." Silence. "Why did they put you through to me?"

Hell if I know! I ended up sending a friend in the town my husband works in to go and meet him at the gates and drive him to town, knowing he'd be freaked out.

There have been many times with our son that I have tried to reach him. To no avail. Here's the story from the other day.

Officer: "(Corporation name) Security."
Me: "Hi, I know that you aren't SUPPOSED to page my husband, but our son just had emergency surgery and is having a complication. I have to take him to the ER. I need you to page him, please." (thinking talking nicely will help).
Officer: "I'll put you through to HR."
Me: "NO, WAIT" Too late.
VOICEMAIL.
Officer: "Security."
Me: "That was a voicemail. I need my husband. NOW."
Officer: "I'll try another extension."
Me: "NO. Go find him."
Officer: "I can't do that, Ma'am. Please hold."
This goes on and on a few times, a few voicemails. Finally, I get Sherry.
Me: "Sherry, I don't know who you are, but (fill in story details). Please find him for me. I need him."
Sherry: "Give me your number and I will have him call you."

Turns out Sherry was just a random office secretary. At least she helped.

My husband works in a facility that manufactures medicine - critical, life saving medicine for patients all over the world. At a recent meeting, they were talking about absenteeism and how it affects the bottom line - if you're gone, medicine doesn't get made. My husband said, "What if you're gone to take care of your own sick child?" They stared at him in silence.

It's a good point he makes. Their point is: other people's lives are important. Just not your child's. We need you at work.

After years of being written up for missing work for our child, and then being told our son doesn't matter, my husband has applied for a job that would be such an amazing opportunity. All two of you (if I'm lucky) who read this, please pray it's his turn to work for a company that cares.