The Madhouse hospital is the way it is frankly, because the neighborhood population has increased by about 35% over the last 20 years, many (most) are new immigrants who don't speak English or Spanish (Mostly Mandarin, some Cantonese), and the facility has not been enlarged. There was just a trade of some parkland there, so some nearby parkland, so they are planning on more than doubling the bedspace (and less than 10 miles away, we are shutting two hospitals due to lack of use)

The other hospital west of me is not a mad house, and should in theory pull a lot of the same people. People won't go there

I said one of the 2 hospitals east is a madhouse - I have to sort of amend that - once you are IN the hospital, it's VERY good, but their ER is a zoo, and they know it. They are in the middle of trippling the size of the ER. It's part of the same "system" (ownership) as the other hospital East of me (that I went to), it's just that one got it's ER upgrade before the other.

Oh, and when I say "ER as a madhouse" - I was there one night (taking Dad) - There was a kid, laying on the floor, in agony (turned out to be an apenndix) - he was not triaged for 4 hours - Not "Not seen" - the triage line for pediatric was 4+ hours long

As for drinking - I was the subject of Grand Rounds TWICE, because as the MD said "The three main causes of acute pancreatitis are alchoholism, alchoholism, alchoholism" (and I learned about "I get smashed") - thing is, they could tell that that wasn't it. Other than cooking wine, I'm such a heavy drinker that the bottle of rum I bought 20 years ago when I got married is still > 1/2 full - Basically I average 2-3 drinks (usually a glass of wine) per YEAR

I was in a teaching hospital when I was suffering from Pancreatitis I can't tell you how many times I answered one doctor or another with, "No, I'm not a drinker."

I became somewhat annoyed by the question, but worse than that was the "Sternum Wake Up". Where they wake you up by prodding and rubbing your sternum. Man, I wanted to deck a doc or two after a few weeks of that. Then there was the infected central line, but that's another story.

My triglyceride levels have been so high they are unreadable for the past 6 years. I guess I should be dead by now. Maybe the big ribeye I plan on broiling for dinner tonight will finally push me over the edge.