To all you Health Care people out there who are reading this:

And I know your reading it, you folks at Carilion. The folks over at the VDH, and Trigon Blue Cross....

Read it, and take it to heart. This is more insight into a patient than most doctors ever receive, especially a patient going through something like this.

I was at CRMH today, having my PPD test checked. I get a funny feeling when I go into a hospital now. I get the feeling that Im sure hundreds of doctors get, thousands of nurses, millions of support staff: when they first walk through the doors in the morning. I can do some good here.

And thats kinda why Im writing this, as much for you as for me. I am writing it to illustrate the POV of a patient, what we go through. And how you help us. Well, all except the Vampire Squad.

This is as much of a thank you to the fine people at UVA, as it is a recounting of my life 3 years ago.

Many times patients don't get a chance to thank those who do so much for them, even rarer the nursing staff, after the fact. When they are healthy and as back to normal as possible, they never get a chance to thank the ones who dealt with them hour after hour. Who sat with them, listened and talked. Brought them a cup of what appeared to be coffee. (more on that later)

It's rare to ever see those faces again.

This is for them, this is for me, and most of all - this is for you.