You are welcome to my blog unique readers, @dexsyluz has unite us again via the contest "My Worst Hospital Story". There's no doubt that we all have stories to tell about our hospital visits. It could be a personal story or one you heard which might have made you change your perspective in regards the hospital.

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Ideally, hospitals are designed to be a home of healing, yet for many people who have been there before, it is an hub of pains, depression and sorrows that hurts beyond the illness itself. In my opinion, most people who die in the hospital do not die because of the sickness that took them there but because of the traumatic experience there encounter in the hospital. From lackadaisical nurses to doctors who prioritize money to human lives.

Truth be told, many individuals have suffered greatly in the hands of leaders (governments) who values and priorities revenue when compared to compassion. I feel that this pressure from the Government on the hospitals is the reason why they chooses to allow a patient to die rather than using their resources to treat a poor patient. Today, I will be telling us my life experience in the hospital and the scar it has left on me.

18th of August 2007 is a day I won't forget in a haste. Not because of how glorious it was but because it left a scar that nature is unable to heal till date. While at home, My elder Brother was struggling to breathe, his lungs screamed for air, his frail body was drenched in sweat while his eyes flooded with tears. I was so confused on what to do because, Dad and mom had traveled and I was the only hope he had for survival.

The situation became worse because I never had any money or knew where a hospital was. My thoughts went into the desert until a neighbor of mine offered to take him to the hospital. At this point, my nerves were calmed because I was taught about the hospital in School so I knew it to be a place where lives were treated paramount.

Surprisingly, my expectations were never met as the hospital I thought was our final destination happened to be a battle field for us. This battle was between my brother's life and the little money offered by my patriotic neighbor. For the first time in my life, I witnessed a human life being weighed with the size of his pocket and the reverse of what my teacher taught me was seen.

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Could you imagine that upon our arrival at the emergency unit were urgency was expected, the reverse was seen as the nurses paid more attention on their phones as though nothing was happening. One of the "compassionate nurses" came to our rescue by pointing towards the direction of a table labeled Cashier.

"Go and pay first" was what she muttered without even looking at us. At this point, my neighbor shed tears as he pleaded with them to atleast administer oxygen to a dying man then the bill will be taken care of. "He is all I have" I screamed , but to them, what matter was their money first.

My neighbor ran to the cashier table only to realize that the amount to be paid was even 4 times what he had in his pocket. "Can I make transfer for I don't have enough cash?" Was what my neighbor said but the cashier insisted that he should go and get cash from the ATM opposite the hospital. At this point my Elder brother was breathing very fast yet, the nurses pretended not to hear.

At the time he came back from withdrawing cash to them, my brother was breathing slowly as if life was to leave him. The doctor finally came, moving with the air of indifference as though he never knew that we've been here for about an hour and 45 minutes. He looked at the patient a d sighed bitterly "Why didn't you people bring him earlier?" At this point the irony burned because we've been there begging while the demanded for money first.

When they finally offered the oxygen, nothing positive was obtained as his chest nearly touched his spinal cord. He became very weak that I and my neighbor began shedding tears knowing too well that he would not survive it. Despites my bitterness, I still heard one of the nurses whispered out of annoyance "another inconvenience evening".

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At this point, everyone became quiet as the nurse covered him head to toes in my very presence. He died where we expected help. The Doctor said to us "sorry for the loss" as he handed another bill to my neighbor. Yes, he gave another bill for the services they never rendered in time.

This day still remains fresh in my memory and I pray one day we will have a system where life is of higher priority compared to money. Until then, this scar will never fade.

I call on @bossj23 @impersonal @alexanderpeace and @xkool24 to please share in their hospital experiences.