By: Julie Loomis

Word on the Street Issue 45, July 2024

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Many of us at the shelter have health issues that cause us to visit the emergency department at one of the local hospitals.  This environment is hard to stay healthy.  Too many people and viruses go through here like wildfires.  My friend Nicky has been struggling with an infection in her big toe. Last October see spent a few days in the hospital with a severe infection.

The early part of May she became sick again and went to St Lukes.  This was the same hospital that she was at last October.  Her leg was swollen and red.  She was also delirious and they sent her back to the shelter saying she had a virus. I always say the emergency department is for serious issues and they don’t always treat the homeless the same way they treat others.

Many of us at the shelter have been given poor service and treated like we are all addicts.  We are not treated seriously and rushed out.  Unfortunately this happened to Nicky.  She got back from the hospital and was clearly out of it. She could hardly talk. Alicia and I noticed and had to call another ambulance.  The ambulance personnel were debating whether to take her and we explained she had a serious infection in her leg.

They transferred her to the Meridian St Lukes and she had Sepsis. Sepsis is a serious infection that can shut down your organs and cause death if left untreated.  My friend could have easily died because of in adequate treatment. I lost my Mom to Sepsis.  Nicky doesn’t remember coming back from the hospital the first time.  She had to spend several days getting treatment for this illness.

I would hope as a person we would be treated just like people who have homes.  Yet time and again we are treated as second class citizens.  We are individuals with different issues.  We are not all drug addicts or crazy.  Well maybe a little crazy.  So we deserve the same respect and treatment as our peers.  Don’t make assumptions that we are trivial and seeking attention or drugs.