Memorial Medical Center, New Orleans GRAPHIC

[uppityperson]

Do not forget. Where was the help? Where were the National Guard? Where was water or food or medicine or health care providers to give those stuck there a break?






FOR DEAR LIFE: How hope turned to despair at Memorial Medical Center (5 days of articles about the 4 days of Katrina chaos)
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/115606061389400.xml&coll=1
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1156139602301680.xml&coll=1
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/115622593190990.xml&coll=1
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1156318837183270.xml&coll=1
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-6/115640588150270.xml&coll=1

As they gathered that morning on the emergency room ramp, three days after Hurricane Katrina, John Kokemor looked more like a vagrant than a successful doctor. His shorts and LSU T-shirt were stained with sweat. He hadn't showered for the better part of a week. Despite the grim conditions, he felt more hopeful than he had in days.

More than 1,000 people were still trapped inside Memorial Medical Center, and food and water were running low, but Kokemor and the other sleep-deprived doctors and nurses believed they were finally going to get some good news as they huddled for the 7 a.m. briefing on Thursday, Sept. 1.

Within a day of the storm, helicopters had rescued 18 babies and a few critically ill patients, and hundreds more patients were ferried to higher ground on Wednesday by seven boats that showed up unexpectedly. But Kokemor and other doctors worried that time was running out for the most vulnerable patients at a hospital still surrounded by at least eight feet of water. Ten patients had died overnight, and a makeshift morgue in the second-floor chapel was full....(beginning of first article/link above)

[OBrien]

1. I have been reading them

the last 5 days. Absolutely riveting. I used to live quite near there and know that area was always so prone to flooding. The staff there are all real heroes.

[uppityperson]

3. Yes, I have written complaining about their treatment (staff)

as a health care person, I can not imagine what it was like, but support them in what they had to do. Chaos, uncertainty, lack of sleep, food, water, hot and humid and wtf is going on? The staff were heros in being there and doing what they could to keep as many alive as they could. Why were they not gotten help for that long? What the holy hell is wrong with the gvt emergency services? I cannot believe that people still support them for their "keeping us safe" bs. They saw Katrina coming yet they could not deal with the aftermath. argh argh argh.

[Feron]

5. Not a health care person ,but..

I agree.

Bumping because this is a must-read newspaper series.

[uppityperson]

6. thanks, I agree. I can only begin to imagine.

[Ezlivin]

2. That's simply TOO messy for a proper Photo-Op

Look, you've got dead bodies all over the place. That's depressing.

And the hallways are cluttered and messy. We need a better "look" for the backdrop.

We're willing to work with you on this. Just give a call to our head media guy and he'll get right back to you....

[uppityperson]

4. I know, we need..."Hospital Makeover" (home edition)