THE PUBLIC MIND: PATIENT PRAISES HOSPITAL FOR EXCELLENT CARE HERE

Dear Editor:

There seems to be plenty of bad news about hospitals and health care in general these days. We read all about the high cost of medical care, the shortage of nurses, the lack of adequate health insurance and so forth.

I'd just like to say I think we're very fortunate in this area when it comes to the health care available to us. For two weeks I was a patient on the heart surgery floor at St. Francis Hospital. Just before I left the hospital, I told the staff there I wanted to talk to a reporter to tell my story, but the nurses suggested that a letter to the editor might be more appropriate, so here it is.

I just wanted the people around here to know how lucky they are to a have a place like St. Francis Hospital. Everyone there was great to me, especially the nurses. They're wonderful. They don't get the credit they deserve.

I was at St. Francis for cancer treatment six years ago and they were great to me then, too. I'd like to especially mention Harriet Schoolfield who is a real credit to the hospital.

In addition to the nurses, I was impressed by the quality of the doctors at St. Francis and in Cape Girardeau in general. Everyone treated me with kindness and consideration.

Again, I'd just like to say that the people of the Cape Girardeau area are lucky to have a place like that hospital. Thank you for letting me share this letter with you.

Sincerely,

Willis Fleming

Cairo, Ill.