THE HEALTH NET

Last Saturday, about 1:15 PM, I became ill with Salmonella poisoning, although I did not know it at the time. On Sunday, I went to a local emergency room and was admitted to the hospital where I received 5 liters of an intravenous saline solution over the next 26 hours.

It was nice to be in a real bed and I was also fortunate to have been given a private room. Unfortunately, the diarrhea didn't allow me to catch up on badly needed sleep time.

On Monday, about 11 AM, a doctor came into my room to inform of the test results. He said there was no bacterial infection and that I had a stomach virus. He did not say that the lab tests of my stool sample had yet to be finished. I was discharged later that evening and despite earleir asking for a work release form, I didn't get one. The head nurse told me that the doctor who had spoken to me had left, so there was no one to sign the form. I also didn't think to ask for bed rest on Tuesday, an oversight I paid for dearly in the park next to the homeless shelter.


Aside from the doctor who came to my room, I was impressed with the care I received at St. Mary's Hospital. Dr. Levine, the admitting emergency room physician, was competent, courteous and efficient and the nurses Marla, Deborah and Judy were all very considerate to me. The tech Al was also very nice, even after I had an accident in the room's bathroom.

"LITTLE KNOWN FACTS"

That was a phrase used by an old friend of mine to describe BS. In the shelter, there are several residents who are virtual warehouses of these "facts" and I think I may have come across my first "jailhouse lawyer." In his considered opinion, Jesse Ventura was illegally elected and the IRS is unconstitutional. Last night, from another resident, I learned that Hermann Goering was still alive and living in Syria. Here's the truth:

On 15 October 1946, two hours before his execution was due to take place, Goering committed suicide in his Nuremberg cell, taking a capsule of poison that he had succeeded in hiding from his guards during his captivity.

ON THE HOMELESS CULTURE

I've noticed that more than a few people I recognize from the shelter also hit the libraries and I suspect that this is a more general phenomenon, at least in Tucson. The summers here are pretty harsh and the libraries have real AC, not just swamp coolers.

For a few of the people at the shelter, this seems to be a permanent way of life. I've heard several of them greet newcomers with phrases like "You here again?" and so forth and a few have talked about being in the shelter system for years. Some are addicts, some are ex-cons, some are both addicts and ex-cons. A surprising number have some temporary or permanent physical disability, usually with their legs or feet.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND GAMBLING

The shelter requires to leave by 7:30 AM and not return before 3 PM. As a result, I have been spending much more time at libraries and I have noticed that many people use the internet connections to gamble online. It's probably a safe bet {:-)} that people who can't afford a PC and and ISP shouldn't be gambling.

MY FIRST DAY (CONT'D)

They give you sheets and a blanket for the bed but no pillow but the blanket can be used as one. You can do your laundry for free but you need to sign up for it. There are two soda machines but neither take dollar bills so people are often looking for change. The food is acceptable and you can even get seconds if you finish soon enough.

There is an enclosed, outdoor smoking area but otherwise there is no smoking in the building. You can only take showers in the evening which is unfortunate because sometimes the nights are humid here and one sweats during sleep.

MY FIRST DAY AT THE SHELTER

I showed up a little after Noon but they weren't taking anyone until 3 pm so I went to the library for a couple of hours. I guess i misunderstood what Mrs. Lupe said about their intake hours.

Before entering the building, we were read the list of the shelter's rules and then allowed to register. I was referred by JEC so I knew I had a bed waiting but I didn't know much beyond that. The registration process was simple although I was surprised that they took my state ID card. You get the card back if you leave the building. They also require that you hand over any prescribed medications.