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Hospital managers forget goal of caring

This is an open letter to the administration of the Brooks-TLC Hospital System:

Congratulations. You did it. You are now free to move on to the better job you were offered, and never have to think of this place again. I truly hope it finds you well, and fulfills whatever needs Lakeshore could not.

As for us, we’ll keep moving forward. But first, three nurses, five counselors, two LPNs, three techs, one activity therapist, one social worker and one discharge planner will clean up. It may seem like a lot of staff to utilize at once, but between you and me, I’ve been hearing it’s too little.

To begin, we’ll ensure every bed that could provide a warm place to sleep is stripped of bedding and cleaned. We’ll empty and throw away the medication from the med carts that could have been used to alleviate debilitating psychosis or suicidal thoughts. We’ll empty the cupboards of activities that could provide an educational foundation of coping skills, distraction methods, and healthy recreational skills. We’ll clear out the snacks that could fill a hungry belly, remove all the clothes that could warm a cold body, and lock up the doors. Finally, we’ll go down to the emergency room, look our sick patients in the eyes pleading for help, and turn them away.

Again, I hope this finds you well. In the same light, I hope this helps you realize the detrimental impact that closing our doors has on this community. Those that we are turning away are real people. They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, nephews, grandsons- people whose existence matters just as much as yours or mine.

I truly hope that the lives lost due to the closure of this hospital doesn’t weigh too heavily on your heart.

As it turns out, not everyone deserves a little TLC after all.

Eryn Brookfield is a North Collins resident.

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