Where I Stand—Mike O’Callaghan: Story of a happy warrior

Tuesday, June 26, 2001 | 9:10 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

I RECEIVED A 12-PAGE LETTER from longtime public servant and Army veteran Al Ramirez, who recently underwent diagnosis and surgery at our local VA Ambulatory Care Center and then the Federal Hospital at Nellis AFB. Ramirez, a department head in state government for six years during the 1970s, is a trained and practicing educator.

Last December, Dr. Vincent Chu of the VA discovered a nodule on Al's right lung. Following tests in a VA hospital in California his case was turned over to Dr. Francis Turner. Some more tests and then he was in the hands of Dr. Kevin D. Murray, a surgeon who discussed his medical problems and explained his alternatives.

Ramirez writes, "Dr. Kevin D. Murray is the Associate Professor and Chief Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, at the Department of Surgery, University of Nevada School of Medicine. As a surgeon, he served as my own personal 'Guardian Angel.' While I did not observe my operation, I am sure that I would have been amazed at his precise incisions on my lower back shoulder. The diagonal incision, as I measured it, is about 5 inches long.

"Then another incision that is about 1 inch long that looks like the letter 'Y,' is on my right side of my stomach at the end of my elbow."

His entire time in the Federal Hospital is related by Al as he is moved from the intensive care unit to the B-Section. When writing about his care, Al writes, "Question is -- did the nurses support the patients properly? Yes they did. And you could see it in their co-operative efforts in their work. ... They are selfless and high-minded and they are earnest in their jobs.

"... Many of them are leaving for other jobs that pay better. This staffing problem reflects a shortage of nurses that is also being felt at our local hospitals, nationally and of course the VA."

Later the former patient goes on to tell about his treatment when adding: "And my outstanding treatment staff included Enid Cuadra, R.N., Kathy Vernetti, R.N., Karen Tooy, R.N., Marylou Cowles, N.A., Madera de Toro, R.N., Katherine Miller, Amy Stephens, Venear Jones, Cindy Fred, R.N., and there were other people who had related jobs such as Robert English who would take my temperature, Puerta Ramirez, who made my bed as comfortable as possible, the X-ray people, who would come in daily in the morning to take my chest X-ray (at one point I asked these two young folks to bring me a couple of Chili Jalapenos and one of them asked, 'Do you have a picture of one?') There were also the food servers, the cooks and all of the other support personnel.

"And on the second day the Chaplain Gerry McNulty came in to see me and he did explain his services of spiritual comfort and support and he also explained to me about the days and the times that Catholic Mass would be celebrated. This visit helped me in facing those small anxieties that I faced in the hospital.

"And then there are people who fill in the voids such as Diana De La Paz, R.N., at the Addeliar D. Guy, III VA Ambulatory Care Center. She ensures that all of the necessary paper work has been finished prior to your going into Federal Hospital.

"Then there are others who have professional duties that are assigned to Dr. Murray and Dr. Turner. That includes Vickie Garcia who controls and follows through on all of Dr. Murray's appointments. Dr. Turner's assistant is Uauvbha Tinninut, R.N., who is referred to as 'Ya Ya,' and she is an individual who does just about everything that is required by the doctor, other nurses, patients and in general, she is there to answer any question that you might have."

Veteran Al Ramirez is more than pleased with the personal and medical treatment he received here in Las Vegas. At the same time his letter stresses the need of even more local medical care for our growing veteran population.

Very simply, we have come a long way in caring for our military veterans here in Southern Nevada but with 300,000 veterans, more medical needs must be met for this group of aging Americans.