However, even if they WERE a net drain economically, it doesn’t seem Christ-like to begrudge them medical care and schools for their children.

Sorry for the rant, I’m just very upset that we didn’t get even a public option, much less single payor, and I know there will be people who die and people who suffer physically and financially as a result.

Now on to some answers.

I imagine that during the critical stage of Mr. Olbermann’s illness he was heavily sedated but as he slowly began to recuperate his sedation was weaned, which is standard practice. We can’t keep our patients sedated forever, no matter how happy it makes the nurse!

Now, I love a sedated patient as much as the next nurse but in the long term it can do some harm, like leading to pulmonary complications that you mentioned. One of the failings of hospitalizations and health care in general is the lack of attention paid to mental health. Part of what Keith described during his commentary was his father hitting his wall, frustrated, exhausted and trapped in his body with very little in his control and loss of independence. Can you imagine? Trapped inside your own body?? I think that starting some patients on anti-depressants when they’ve been bed-ridden and hospitalized for over a month is a great idea, in addition to adding an anti-anxiety medication like Xanax, Valium, Ativan. And I think this is what Keith was eluding to, giving his dad an anti-anxiety medication to take the edge off.

And don’t get me started on the whole health care discussion. I’m not sure why the health of the population is such a debate. Why wouldn’t you want healthy people??? And we are a so-called-Judeo-Christian society. It’s a shame that the least Christian people in America have the loudest voices and are in power. But that’s a different subject.

I don’t always agree with Keith but he and a lot of other progressive voices are demanding change in our health care system and I am DISGUSTED with the politicians who are blocking it because they have either sold their souls to the medical groups that give them money for their campaigns, or have decided to fight any reform just to defeat the president. People are DYING because this so-called Judeo-Christian society has refused to put in place a national healthcare program.

Those hyperactive todlers can make anything dangerous!