mellicious | Patient C.A.R.E.

Have y'all been in a hospital lately and seen these channels on the TV that are like Muzak with pictures? My mother keeps watching them - they have pictures of, you know, flowers and mountains and waterfalls and other "relaxing" things. I was amused to find out that the one at the hospital she's at was called C.A.R.E. - Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment. Funniest acronym I've seen in ages. (That probably wasn't their intent, was it?)

I am, on the whole, not particularly impressed with M.D. Anderson's patient care. I got mad at them a year ago when they released my mother after her biopsy despite the fact that she could not walk at all. Uh, anybody consider that this might be a problem? Apparently not. M.D. Anderson has really good doctors and they are a good place to go if you have an unusual form of cancer or if you want especially aggressive treatment. But there are a lot of things around there that could stand improvement. They have lots of money to throw around, but the nice lobby with the waterfall and the piano is just window-dressing. It might be better spent in other places.

(In somewhat-related news, I am having that damn needle biopsy in the morning. Y'all cross your fingers for me.)