I read an article that was carried in the Dallas News this weekend that put a different perspective on the treatment of health workers returning from Africa after bravely working to fight the Ebola virus. And while I know that we must have a comprehensive program here in America to try and undo the damage already done by CDC incompetence, I think we must do it in a way that is compassionate to those being screened and particularly to the brave Doctors Without Borders and the Samaritan's Purse personnel who are doing God's work.
A young nurse, Kari Hickox of Texas, flew into New York Friday on return from Sierra Leone where she worked as a nurse treating Ebola patients. As she entered customs, she immediately reported that she had been working in Sierra Leone in that capacity. Once she made that statement, she reported that her treatment by the TSA and other staff assigned changed dramatically. Instead of being treated like an American citizen, she found her treatment to be more akin to that you would expect for a convicted felon.
Upon her arrival at 1 pm, she was tired and hungry after a long flight. But once she reported her status, she was taken to a room where she was repeatedly questioned and isolated without any explanation for four hours. Her temperature was taken by a forehead scan during the long wait and it was reported as 98, a normal reading. Time continued to go by and she asked if she could have something to eat since her last meal was some twelve hours earlier and she felt dehydrated. They brought her a granola bar and a bottle of water.
As time went on, she could tell she was getting angry, more exhausted and flushed. And additional temperature scan was taken and she was told her temperature was 101. Her response was to remind the TSA agent that an external scan is not precise and her reading was caused by the flushing of her face but she was ignored. An ambulance was summoned to take her to the hospital and she was transported by medics in hazmat gear with sirens blazing and a police escort. Upon arrival she was told she would be kept in isolation for observation but at least and emergency room physician did take her temperature orally as she originally requested. He agreed that the earlier readings were inaccurate and that she indeed had no temperature.
Why do I cite this true life story, one which was written from her first hand account? I do so to point out that American citizens deserve the right to be treated with compassion. If it is appropriate to hold someone in isolation for an emergency such as a potential epidemic, the least we can do is explain to that person what is happening and do our best to treat them with respect. Hold someone in a "cell" while hungry and fearful do to lack of information is no way to treat them. I doubt that any of us would appreciate being poked and prodded like a rag doll by people in the TSA agents who have obviously been proven time and time again to be incompetent at even simple tasks. And I also wonder what will happen when hundreds of healthcare workers from these areas return in large groups at once and how they will be treated. Will they send Army "cattle cars" to the airport to load them up like young men going to the rifle range, complete with yelling and screaming.
What makes this worse in the first place is the government's cavalier handling of a critical health problem that didn't have to be. But when America opened the doors to our nation by lack of a border, all sense of common sense and sovereignty died with it. And it has all been so that Democrats can get more votes and big business RINOs can get their campaign contributions for the cheap labor their actions have allowed. And where does that leave good Americans? Like Nurse Kari, holding the bag, lonely and concerned with no one in high places giving a hoot how they are treated.
It's time to change from Hope and Change to Real Change based upon the American Spirit. Let's start doing so on November 4th.
A young nurse, Kari Hickox of Texas, flew into New York Friday on return from Sierra Leone where she worked as a nurse treating Ebola patients. As she entered customs, she immediately reported that she had been working in Sierra Leone in that capacity. Once she made that statement, she reported that her treatment by the TSA and other staff assigned changed dramatically. Instead of being treated like an American citizen, she found her treatment to be more akin to that you would expect for a convicted felon.
Upon her arrival at 1 pm, she was tired and hungry after a long flight. But once she reported her status, she was taken to a room where she was repeatedly questioned and isolated without any explanation for four hours. Her temperature was taken by a forehead scan during the long wait and it was reported as 98, a normal reading. Time continued to go by and she asked if she could have something to eat since her last meal was some twelve hours earlier and she felt dehydrated. They brought her a granola bar and a bottle of water.
As time went on, she could tell she was getting angry, more exhausted and flushed. And additional temperature scan was taken and she was told her temperature was 101. Her response was to remind the TSA agent that an external scan is not precise and her reading was caused by the flushing of her face but she was ignored. An ambulance was summoned to take her to the hospital and she was transported by medics in hazmat gear with sirens blazing and a police escort. Upon arrival she was told she would be kept in isolation for observation but at least and emergency room physician did take her temperature orally as she originally requested. He agreed that the earlier readings were inaccurate and that she indeed had no temperature.
Why do I cite this true life story, one which was written from her first hand account? I do so to point out that American citizens deserve the right to be treated with compassion. If it is appropriate to hold someone in isolation for an emergency such as a potential epidemic, the least we can do is explain to that person what is happening and do our best to treat them with respect. Hold someone in a "cell" while hungry and fearful do to lack of information is no way to treat them. I doubt that any of us would appreciate being poked and prodded like a rag doll by people in the TSA agents who have obviously been proven time and time again to be incompetent at even simple tasks. And I also wonder what will happen when hundreds of healthcare workers from these areas return in large groups at once and how they will be treated. Will they send Army "cattle cars" to the airport to load them up like young men going to the rifle range, complete with yelling and screaming.
What makes this worse in the first place is the government's cavalier handling of a critical health problem that didn't have to be. But when America opened the doors to our nation by lack of a border, all sense of common sense and sovereignty died with it. And it has all been so that Democrats can get more votes and big business RINOs can get their campaign contributions for the cheap labor their actions have allowed. And where does that leave good Americans? Like Nurse Kari, holding the bag, lonely and concerned with no one in high places giving a hoot how they are treated.
It's time to change from Hope and Change to Real Change based upon the American Spirit. Let's start doing so on November 4th.
RSS Feed