Lakewood Hospital - my family thanks you! (a lot!)

[Alex Belisle]

As some of you know, my wife took a bad fall down some steps in our house and broke he ankle in 3 places requiring surgery. Since it was on a Fri. night, we were told that she probably would have to wait until Mon. or Tues. for surgery. But then my wife called early Sat. morning, telling us that surgery was set up for early that Sat. morning.

Wow! we were both impressed and happy since a PA told us that they don't do surgery in Lakewood Hospital and that she would have to be transported elsewhere. Dr. Roberts told me that "Of course, we do surgery here and have excellent facilities for surgery."

This is what I posted in Facebook about this :

"Compared to NYC, Lakewood is so accessible and everything is so walkable. My family was trying to figure out how to get my wife who had ankle surgery at Lakewood Hospital (which makes the hospitals we went to in NYC look like third world hospitals) home by car (getting in and getting out)

No worry! We will wheelchair her from the hospital to our house. Try doing that in NYC!

I love this place and its hospital. When I show pictures of Lakewood Hospital to my friends in NYC, they are quite impressed."

[Gary Rice]

Alex,

I will simply add my name (and my dear late father's) to yours as having high praise for Lakewood Hospital. (see my column in this week's Lakewood Observer)

Yes, it is still, to this day, a fine functioning hospital as you and your lovely wife just discovered; and convenient? Just a few minutes easy walk from home.

The hospital remains a beautiful facility, indoors and out, and a vital city asset that is not always thought about or appreciated until one's family needs it.

The thing to remember is....Every single minute of every single day, SOME Lakewood family needs it!

It will soon remain to be seen whether we will be able to keep it...

Back to the banjo...

[Bridget Conant]

We CAN keep it. Vote for Skindell and YES on 64.

[Michael Deneen]

I'm glad she is doing OK, Alex.

As Gary said, in every given minute of every day SOME family needs Lakewood Hospital.
That is the type of empathy and compassion we expect from Gary Rice.

Unfortunately many don't see things the same way.
One Build Lakewood supporter, for example, seems to think that going to the hospital is a choice.
He thinks people are "eager" to become sick or injured.



Throughout my life both of my parents have stayed at Lakewood Hospital overnight.
I can assure Mr. Stein that there was never a single instance where they were "eager" to be sick.

[Bridget Conant]

No one is ever "eager" to spend even one night in a hospital.

I don't know too many people "eager" to spend $90 for a bath towel or $399 for a set of bedsheets, either.

[Brian Essi]

Alex

You are a gentleman and a scholar. I know that the rough and tumble debate on the Deck had turned you off and that New Yorkers are more refined in their debating skills.

Please remember the Cleveland mantra from the 70's. "Cleveland: You Gotta Be Tough"

With your tender post you have managed to hit a core issue as to why we are all fighting to try to save a safety net and security blanket that has served our City for 108 years.

[Alex Belisle]

Thank you for your kind words Brian. I cannot express in words how happy my family is with the care that was provided from all the Lakewood Hospital staff. My wife is now home and I'm learning very quickly how to do my wife's job - Caretaker Extraordinaire!

[Gary Rice]

Hey Alex,

Glad you made it home!

All is not lost in our efforts to keep our hospital. Not by a long shot. Here's a picture of a wonderful guy who happened to come along in my neck of the woods today, helping to get the word out about our hospital. (Photo: courtesy of Dennis Kucinich's assistant)

Back to the banjo!