“My cousin in Texas. Her granddaughter is a nurse in Austin Texas. I don't know what hospital. They were told yesterday they cannot wear scrubs have ID showing coming into the building, change after getting there, and change out before leaving. If come in or go out at night you must go with security. They were given a number to call if they come in after dark.
Apparently enough workers have been threatened over the shortage of bed space and resources that there is fear something bad will happen.
These people won't vax. They won't mask. When they get sick they run for the hospital and when there is not enough staff, beds, and other resources to put them at the front of the line they start threatening the very people they want help from?
My God . . . ”
- https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215739450
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“[There are] . . . zero ICU beds left for children [in Dallas County] . . . That means if your child's in a car wreck, if your child has a congenital heart defect or something and needs an ICU bed, or more likely if they have Covid and need an ICU bed, we don't have one. Your child will wait for another child to die. Your child will just not get on the ventilator, your child will be CareFlighted to Temple or Oklahoma City or wherever we can find them a bed, but they won't be getting one here unless one clears.”
- https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/13/us/dallas-county-no-pediatric-icu-beds-left/index.html
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Which bring up the question: what would happen if Texas Governor Abbott needed an ICU bed? What would happen if the child or grandchild of a close relative needed one?
Let’s focus on the Governor himself. What if, for example, the Governor is involved in a serious auto accident somewhere on Route 20 or Route 35. He’s rushed to the closest hospital. But the hospital has no available ICU beds.
What happens next?
Scenario 1: After being informed there are no beds, the Governor’s aides respectfully accept the answer. Or the Governor, who is still somewhat conscious, says, “Well, if there’s no space, there’s no space. If other Texas citizens can sacrifice their lives for FREEDOM, then I can, too. After all, my life isn’t worth any more than the life of one of my constituents. Make some calls, guys, and see if you can find me a bed somewhere.”
We’ll call this the “When hell freezes over” scenario.
Scenario 2: The Governor’s aides insist he be admitted immediately. After all, he is the Governor. (But Abbott’s policies are largely responsible for the lack of ICU beds in his state. Is anyone thinking “karma”?)
But the hospital’s director, Dr. J. Jones, refuses. “What am I supposed to do?” says Dr. Jones. “Kick some kid out who can’t breathe because of COVID? Or some senior citizen who through no fault of their own contracted the virus?” The doctor continues, “I refuse even to move some Trump dummy who got COVID by believing our former President or our Governor. Sorry, but even the person who has no one to blame but themselves for contracting COVID is still a human being. Their life is just as valuable as the Governor’s life. The Governor will just have to go elsewhere. There’s no room for him here.”
What happens next?
Maybe the Governor’s aids try to forcibly remove an 89-year-old man in the ICU who, in their words, “Doesn’t have much more time left anyway”. Hospital security stops them and tries to force them out of the hospital. Both sides draw their guns. (Drawn guns in a hospital? Why not? After all, this is Texas we’re talking about.)
Scenario 2a: After a tense standoff, the Governor’s party leaves the hospital. The Governor is then flown towards one of the few available ICu beds in Texas, somewhere near Lubbock. Abbott passes away en route.
We’ll call this the “Karma’s a real bitch, ain’t it?” scenario.
Scenario 2b: Some calls are made, some strings are pulled, and Dr. Jones “finds” an ICU bed for the Governor, a bed which Dr. Jones later on T.V. nervously swears definitely, definitely, definitely DID NOT come from giving anything less than appropriate care to the bed’s former occupant. Abbott eventually recovers, fully able to devote all his energy to once again ensuring COVID kills as many Texans as possible.
We’ll call this the “Business as usual” scenario.
Scenario 2c: As above, Abbott is admitted to the ICU but in this scenario he does not recover. In the next election, Texas has either learned its lesson and elects someone who cares about people. Or it elects another Republican.
We’ll call this the “I hope they learn from their mistakes” scenario.
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Of course, I wish Governor Abbott a long and happy life. In fact, I wish all the people of Texas a long and happy life. And a better government.
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