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Story On Dads' Deaths Sounds Familiar To Many, But Story Ended Mid-Sentence. How Does It End?

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 30, 2007

The reaction was swift from those who read to the end of last Sunday's column on the profound change in health care, as seen through the deaths of two dads.

The column's last line - the "kicker" - ended mid-sentence.

"Arrrgh!" wrote Ed Williams of Balm. "I can identify with many of the situations you describe, but I'm waiting for the Paul-Harvey ending."

No one is more frustrated than a writer who discovers a key line missing from her published piece - except, perhaps, the reader who has invested time in a story that, many of you said, reflected your own experiences.

Dozens of you shared similar stories, including several doctors and nurses who asked to remain anonymous.

The most rewarding response came from Isaac Mallah, president and CEO of St. Joseph's-Baptist Health Care, where my step-dad was hospitalized before he was sent to the hospice house.

I talked to Isaac before publishing the piece, not because I had many questions, but because I wanted him to know it was coming. He spoke to his board the next day and together, they decided to address the problem head-on.

More will be written about their effort later, but today, for his heartfelt commitment to improvement, Mallah earns the Tribune's Letter of the Day.

And so it seems the story's end has not yet been written.

But for those still looking for last week's kicker, here goes:

Never, by the way, did the surgeon who performed George's bladder surgery call to check on him.

Perhaps now he'll know the surgery wasn't a success.

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