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Hardships in medical treatment.
Story by Joseph A. Di Giorgio

The Date January 20, 2001 started out like a normal Saturday, with the exception of ice formed by the melting of snow and other ice, and setting up again after the cold weather set in.
I needed to go to the Store for Groceries, and when I stepped out, I sure did hit that almost impossible patch of ice. At first, it didn't look slippery, however, there wasn't any way possible to stand on it and stay on your feet. I fell forward on my left shoulder, and dislocated my arm from the rotor cup. I didn't know it at the time, but there was also a fracture located just below the ball of the joint.
With my arm looking like it was in two places, actually it was, I drove to the nearest Hospital. The Veterans Hospital in West Roxbury. The woman Doctor that was in attendance was Great. She examined me and while her hand was on my shoulder, my shoulder gave a shudder, and went back into place. She then sent me to x-ray, to confirm that the shoulder was indeed in place. The x-ray showed that It was.
Every thing went pretty good for a few days, however it was not to last. While sleeping, somehow I turned violently in bed, and landed on my shoulder. I felt it pop out and sat up on the bed. It was dislocated again. I sat for a few minutes, and sort of twisted my hand. My shoulder popped back in.
The next day, I went back to the emergency room. They in turn directed me to urgent care. (The new system)
This is where the stupidity and unrelenting idiocy begins of this doctor.
I told her the above story, and she looked up my records. She then turned to me and asked me what I was here for. I told her what just happened and asked her if I could have pain pills. She told me "Your not getting any pain pills from me." I asked her why not? She said,"According to the x-ray they took, your shoulder was not dislocated. I explained to her that they took the x-ray after the Emergency room Doctor helped my shoulder back in place.
She looked at me and asked, "Do you know who that Doctor was that you saw?" I said "No I don't". She told me that the doctor was a heart surgeon and said that this Doctor would not know how to put a dislocated shoulder back.
This Doctor, and I call her that loosely, was calling me a liar, and suggesting that I was there only for pain pills.
I was very distraught and felt despondent and very angry. I picked up my upper clothing, and walked out of the room. There were two other Doctors standing there talking and they wanted to know what the matter was. I told them. I also told them that I was a Volunteer in this Hospital for fourteen years and that I was well respected. I told them that I was angry and that I was going to report this incident. They told me that this Doctor I saw was very competent and that I should go back in and give her another chance. I did just that. She sent me to x-ray, and then I went home. I was only home by ten minutes when the telephone rang. It was the Doctor that I had just seen.Very Cheerfully, she said, "Hi Mr. Di Giorgio, are you ready for this?" I said, "What is it". She said that I had a fracture just below the ball that didn't show up in the first set of x-rays because they were not looking for that and did not take the x-rays that would show that. She also said that she was ordering pain pills for me, and on January 25, 2001, I picked up 60 tabs of propoxyphene nap 100mg w/apap 650 mg tab. Prescription no. 3648181. Since then, my arm dislocated 3 more times in bed at night, and once in the Jamaica Plain Hospital, because the x-ray tech forced my arm to do what it did not wish to do. She did not apologize or make amends for the anguish that she had caused me. This is why I write and Publish this letter. As of my other letters, this one will go on my web site and be sent to proper authorities including the Boston Globe.
The Doctors name that Insulted and degraded me is,
Doctor Jane M Cannon.
Joseph A. Di Giorgio


All of what I write is documented, and will be proven to be so upon request.
Cell phones. (Yes) (No) (Maybe) Just what in all Hell is going on?
Yes, I do volunteer for the D.A.V. transportation and I am very proud to be able to take part in helping Veterans to and from medical appointments.
I also know that many Veterans are elderly, have diabetes of different levels, cholesterol problems, and most of all, SOME HAVE PACE MAKERS.
On two occasions I have been made to feel like my efforts were worthless, mainly by the policies of the V.A. Police.
The Story:::
One is to notice on the entrance doors, there are small notices that state, CELL Phones not permitted in this Hospital. These are the same type of warnings that Come with your cell phones about Hospital use and also are the same type of notices that are Posted in all Hospitals, (at least many that I have been in).
One day after returning from a run, I came into the Main Lobby and saw a 400lb+ male (sorry but I am telling this) sitting on a Lounge chair, busily talking on a small cell phone. I approached him and said "Excuse me sir, cell phones are not allowed in this hospital." He looked at me and said, "Who the F### are You?"(sorry again). I politely showed him my hospital badge, and he replied, "Go to Hell." At this time I told him if he continued I would have to notify the V.A.Police. He yelled at me "Go and get two of them."
At this point I did go directly to the V.A. Police and the officer in charge said, "I can't do anything about it. I have Doctors walking right by me using cell Phones." I asked him why not and then reminded him that it was posted on all the entrance doors. He told me he saw a notice in his e-mail about cell phones being safe.
I felt very despondent and belittled at this point. I went to my office and spoke to My director about the situation. He asked me to go to the Police and Show Me What he was talking about. The officer did show me and gave me a copy of the statement, which I gave to Mr. Embree.
It was a short piece about Some one in the West Roxbury Va. Testing cell phones and did not find them dangerous to Pace Makers or most equipment.
It also stated,"That we will sit on these findings and not put anything into effect, or change anything at this time.
Why are the V.A. Police Changing the posted rules?

Who In all fools Hell are the testers. What type of equipment were they using. Do they know that when cell phones ring, they give off more high frequency waves than normal? Call a cell phone in a room or two away from an amplifier. Listen to the Deep Overpowering hum from the Amp.
I did. By the way,,, I am a Master Lic. State T.v. tech. lic. 7512

Have you ever eaten in the Cafeteria? No, well, you lucked out. No No No Don't get me wrong. The Food is not bad, Although my wife and myself did get sour pizza once, as they forgot to throw out the pizza the day before. Good side, we didn't get sick and we did get our money back.
Well onto the main topic.
Most of the Volunteers, Patients, and visiting patients, either have high blood sugar like myself, or high cholsterol, like myself. In the many years of being there, I have only seen two items for us sugar people. One is red jellow, (no sugar added) and then those lousy wafer cookies.
Add coffee, and I guess that would make a great lunch.
The taco salad is good, however, I was advised by my nutritionist Trisha, not to eat the shell. Loaded with fat.
Hot dogs? delectible and loaded with grease. She also does not recommend the French Fries or in fact, all of the Fried Food. I really cannot tell you about the rest of the meals, as there isn't a clue as to what is in it or what it is made of. ((WHAT IS THAT OIL IT IS COOKED IN?))Mac Donalds, Burgur king, etc. do have nutritional information about their foods.
Try to ask for nutritional information at the West Roxbury V.A. YA!! RIGHT!!!
Got a cold???? Got a Cough? Tough poopie Snoopie
Go into the V.A. store and you can buy 30 inch televisions, (What patient can have this in his room) kitchen utensils from fry pans, to electric can openers, Processors, But no sugar free cough drops. No sugar free candy. Not a darn thing for the Veteran that is hospitialized or needs sugar free. Of course, you can buy womans hair spray and a large assortment of other womans item. A few weeks ago, I looked for a jar of vicks. Nope Nothing. Did find Vasaline though. Is this for the dark corners? Who runs this thing anyway, and where is the director. Is he blind to this? If he is, Why is he blind to this. What the Heck is going on here? The Sign out front does say "Veterans Hospitial".
Common, you people in charge, let's smooth this thing out. You have done such great work in other area's, let's not goof it up here.
And please Please find someone that knows what eggs over easy means.
Joe Di Giorgio