Thursday, May 24, 2012
Good morning everyone! Today I would like to talk about something that has deeply disturbed me. In the state of Oregen there are laws on the book that allows patient to die with doctor assistence. This represents a national organization who's members support the notion of "death with dignity." What I would like you to know, is that there is no dignity in death! I worked at a nursing home for 6 months and during that time I saw many residents die. The process was certainly not dignified. When the residents died, many of them both urinated on themselves or defacated on themselves and many others simply threw up. There was absolutely zero dignity in their passing. So when you hear someone talk about death with dignity, just walk away because they have no idea what they are talking about!!
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Good morning everyone! Today it is gray and raining. But the weather is not really what I wanted to write about. In all of my conversations with Anna, whether by email or by phone, Anna never once appolagised for what she did. Also, during the public conferences she never appoligised either. Her lack of any kind of appoligy always bothered me. So I have spent some time thinking about this and think I have come up with a reason. I dont beleive Anna will ever apoligise because to do so would indicate some degree of guilt and more importantly, she beleives in her heart and in her mind that she did nothing wrong at all. So, if she beleives she did nothing wrong, why in the world would she then apolagise. I think it is an intersting insight into the mind of a murderer. Anna killed every patient on the seventh floor and in her mind she does not feel as though she did anything wrong. Now I am hesitant to make the comparison but will do it anyway. If you watch the filmed Nuremburg trials of leading Nazi's you will find that not one of them ever apolagised for the mass killings of Jews, homosexuals, and political opponents. The reason they never apolagised, was because they did not feel they did anything wrong. It is amazing to me, that some folks can do such wrong and always beleived that they in fact had done nothing wrong at all.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Hi everyone! Today is Friday May 18th, 2012. I thought about continuing with the conversations I had with Anna, but I have decided to wait till Monday and instead concentrate on other topics most of which may appear to be somewhat random. A few days ago, I watched a video on YouTube showing one of the concentration camps in and around Germany during World War 11. The documentary showed well laid out "administration" buildings, large courtyards, seemingly benign "towers" and lots of walkways. What struck me was the sense of organization and planning behind these structures. It appeared to me that the whole place had been created very maticulously. What is interesting to note is that these camps did not just spring up over night. They where in fact the culmination of programs started by the Nazi's in the early to mid 1930's. In the begining, before the "camps" existed, the killing of people took place in hospitals and facilities for the mentally ill. These actions, carried out by memebers of Germany's medical community, was simply known as the "euthanazia" program. Very seldom was the word "death" ever used when describing the creation and administration of this program. It is also interesting to note, that the drug of "chioce" in implimenting this program, was morphine. On a very small scale, this form of death was found to be efficient. However, the Germans soon discovered that killing people on what can be described as an industrial level, required some other form of death. To put it bluntly, morphine was found to be sufficient for killing small groups of people, but not for killing hundreds of thousands of people. The end result, as depicted in the YouTube video, was the concentration camps. The point here is simple, the creation of concentration camps was the result of programs first carried out on an individual basis, primarly in hospitals. What once was small eventually became enormous!!
So what's my point? Thats a good question, a question I wrestle with almost everyday. I guess the point is this: if we can justify killing small groups of individuals, namely the sick and the elderly, where will it stop. If you read remarks from those who supported Dr. Pou, they will gladly tell you that the death of the patients on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital, was not the result of a deliberate decision made by a single individual, but rather the result of the horrible living conditions found in the hospital after Katrina. My view is this: it was not hurricane Katrina that made the decision to stick a needle into a patients arm, it was not the lack of sanitation at the hospital that stuck a needle into a patients arm and it was certainly not the sense of abandonment by government officials that stuck a neddle into a patients arm. The reality is this, the decision to stick a needle into the patients arm was made by a living and thinking individual who had in fact preplaned the action. And if you chose not to beleive me, thats fine. Wait a little while and I will publish here the email correspondence between myself and Anna regarding this very point.
There is another observation I would like to include. There is an organization based in Switzerland, called Dignitas. It was originally designed for helping terminally ill patients to end or kill themselves. That mandate has now been extended to individuals who are merely "weary" of life. As I write this, I am reminded of a quote that goes something like this "if they do these things in the good times, imagine what they will do in the bad times."
So what's my point? Thats a good question, a question I wrestle with almost everyday. I guess the point is this: if we can justify killing small groups of individuals, namely the sick and the elderly, where will it stop. If you read remarks from those who supported Dr. Pou, they will gladly tell you that the death of the patients on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital, was not the result of a deliberate decision made by a single individual, but rather the result of the horrible living conditions found in the hospital after Katrina. My view is this: it was not hurricane Katrina that made the decision to stick a needle into a patients arm, it was not the lack of sanitation at the hospital that stuck a needle into a patients arm and it was certainly not the sense of abandonment by government officials that stuck a neddle into a patients arm. The reality is this, the decision to stick a needle into the patients arm was made by a living and thinking individual who had in fact preplaned the action. And if you chose not to beleive me, thats fine. Wait a little while and I will publish here the email correspondence between myself and Anna regarding this very point.
There is another observation I would like to include. There is an organization based in Switzerland, called Dignitas. It was originally designed for helping terminally ill patients to end or kill themselves. That mandate has now been extended to individuals who are merely "weary" of life. As I write this, I am reminded of a quote that goes something like this "if they do these things in the good times, imagine what they will do in the bad times."
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hi everyone. I was going to continue where I left off from yesterday, but I dont really feel in the mood. I guess the subject is so upsetting that at times I need to take a break and try not to think about what happened either at Memorial Hospiatl or the nursing home. I rememeb when I attended university and one of my history teachers used to pull me aside after class and tell me to remember the road to Hell was paved with good intentions. At the time I don't think I really understood what he was really talking about. I guess that from an intellectual point of view I understaood the connection between the statement and our talks on the Vietnam war, but from a personal perspective, i really did not understand. It was not until my conversations with Anna, coming to grips with the reality of what had happened at the hospital after Katrina and the experience in the nursing home, that I finally realized what the teachers words really meant. I had become a CNA with the intent to help my patients and to offset some of the pain and suffering caused by Anna's actions, and instead found myself participating in the killing of patients at the nursing home!! And it was not just the killing of the two patients, it was the fact that as a for profit nursing home, corners where cut in patient care inorder to keep costs down and to receive our annual bonus checks.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
There is something that I do not often talk about but it is part of the same story and so perhaps this is a good time as any to talk about. In doing so I am jumping a little ahead of the story about my conversations with Anna, so please bere with me. After the April/May phone and email conversation in which Anna told me that she had indeed killed the patients on the seventh floor, I decided that there had to be some way I could perhaps offset the pain and suffering her actions have obviously caused. I talked to Anna about this numerous times. After some thought I decided to go back to school to become a nurse and to provide my patients with the care that she was so oviously unable to provide those patients on the seventh floor of Memorial. I talked to Anna a number of times and she agreed that going back to school would be a good thing and as she told me in a number of emails that I will be publishing, that she hoped it might ultimately help to offset what she had done. So, in the Spring of 2007 I enrolled at Walla Walla Community College and started the CNA classes as a first step to becoming a nurse. The program lasted a number of months and during this time Anna often asked how the class was coming along. After graduation, I was hired by Park Manor Nursing Home as a CNA. I remember my first day at work I was paired up with an experienced CNA and she explained to me that everything I had learned in class I was to forget because it had nothing to do with the reality of working in a nursing home. Looking back, I should have realized that such a statement was a "red" flag, but at the time I was simply happy that in helping my patients I was also helping to offset some of the pain Anna's actions had caused.
I remember the two patients. One was an elderly female patient who was housed in the west wing of the nursing home and the other was a male patient housed in the east wing of the nursing home. The female patient was the first to go and it always took place during the night shift when staff was at a minimum. The charge nurse started early in the evening with hourly injections of morphine to the patient. I remember just before my shift ended at 9pm one of the staff finished preparing the patients death certificate while the patient was still alive. By the time I left that evening the charge nurse was administering doses of morphine every hour on the hour. The next day I was told the patient had died as a result of respiratory arrest. At the time, I dont think I really understood what had happened though I was a little concerned. A few weeks later, I arrived at work to find that the male patient on east wing had been moved to room two and was kept isolated from the other patients. The charge nurse, I cant remember her name but I remember she had lovely blonde hair, started administering morphine to the patient every hour. While each dose was not in itself fatal, the administration of morphine doses every hour soon increase the amount of morphine in the patient to fatal levels. And thats how they did it! Before i left at 9.30pm I asked the charge nurse if we where infact euthanizing the patient and she looked at me and said yes thats exactly what we where doing. The patient died later that evening and the next day I called the nursing home and told them that I quit and would not be returning. I had become a CNA to help patients not to do what Anna had done to hers. A few days later I was asked to come in and talk with the supervisor. She told me that the nursing home would give me a substantial pay raise and any shift I wanted so long as I came back to work and did not tell anyone outside the nursing home what had hapened.
I remember the two patients. One was an elderly female patient who was housed in the west wing of the nursing home and the other was a male patient housed in the east wing of the nursing home. The female patient was the first to go and it always took place during the night shift when staff was at a minimum. The charge nurse started early in the evening with hourly injections of morphine to the patient. I remember just before my shift ended at 9pm one of the staff finished preparing the patients death certificate while the patient was still alive. By the time I left that evening the charge nurse was administering doses of morphine every hour on the hour. The next day I was told the patient had died as a result of respiratory arrest. At the time, I dont think I really understood what had happened though I was a little concerned. A few weeks later, I arrived at work to find that the male patient on east wing had been moved to room two and was kept isolated from the other patients. The charge nurse, I cant remember her name but I remember she had lovely blonde hair, started administering morphine to the patient every hour. While each dose was not in itself fatal, the administration of morphine doses every hour soon increase the amount of morphine in the patient to fatal levels. And thats how they did it! Before i left at 9.30pm I asked the charge nurse if we where infact euthanizing the patient and she looked at me and said yes thats exactly what we where doing. The patient died later that evening and the next day I called the nursing home and told them that I quit and would not be returning. I had become a CNA to help patients not to do what Anna had done to hers. A few days later I was asked to come in and talk with the supervisor. She told me that the nursing home would give me a substantial pay raise and any shift I wanted so long as I came back to work and did not tell anyone outside the nursing home what had hapened.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Please don't worry or be discouraged
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My Dear Friend: Please don't be worried or discouraged. Things will be ok. I understand that given the current situation and the long days of waiting for a kind of uncertain resolution, time can appear dark and difficult. But appearence is nothing more than a temporal illusion and beneath its supreme surface remains the bright promise of a gentle and forgiving day. So have a wonderful, wonderful day and always remember: be kind, be gentle, be soft spoken. And I will keep you in my thoughts and in my prayers. Always. I promise. Your Friend,MirandaHave an awesome day!!!! >From: "Pou, Anna M.">To: "miranda lucianna" >Subject: RE: Your Friend....>Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:05:25 -0600>>Dear Miranda,>Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!>I hope that you New Year brings you peace and happiness.>Best Regards,>Anna Pou>
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My Dear Friend: Please don't be worried or discouraged. Things will be ok. I understand that given the current situation and the long days of waiting for a kind of uncertain resolution, time can appear dark and difficult. But appearence is nothing more than a temporal illusion and beneath its supreme surface remains the bright promise of a gentle and forgiving day. So have a wonderful, wonderful day and always remember: be kind, be gentle, be soft spoken. And I will keep you in my thoughts and in my prayers. Always. I promise. Your Friend,MirandaHave an awesome day!!!! >From: "Pou, Anna M."
Pou, Anna M.To miranda lucianna
From: Pou, Anna M. (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Sun 1/21/07 10:06 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Dear Miranda,
Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!
I hope that you New Year brings you peace and happiness.
Best Regards,
Anna Pou
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sun 1/21/2007 6:50 AM
To: Pou, Anna M.
Subject: Your Friend....
My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou:
I hope these few and silent words across the miles and miles of wireless
networks finds you in good and comforted spirits and that your days of
Christmas past and those to come where spent in love and friendship. I have
kept you in my thoughts and in my prayers because even though we have never
met nor ever will I know in my heart that you are a kind and gentle soul and
that you may also know that inspite of what I may or may not beleive, I have
always told you the truth and always will. I am so very sorry that you must
face this ordeal but please always remember that you are much loved and
thought about. So always be kind and gentle and soft spoken and I will keep
you in my thoughts and in my prayers.
Your Friend from far away,
Miranda
From: Pou, Anna M. (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Sun 1/21/07 10:06 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Dear Miranda,
Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!
I hope that you New Year brings you peace and happiness.
Best Regards,
Anna Pou
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sun 1/21/2007 6:50 AM
To: Pou, Anna M.
Subject: Your Friend....
My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou:
I hope these few and silent words across the miles and miles of wireless
networks finds you in good and comforted spirits and that your days of
Christmas past and those to come where spent in love and friendship. I have
kept you in my thoughts and in my prayers because even though we have never
met nor ever will I know in my heart that you are a kind and gentle soul and
that you may also know that inspite of what I may or may not beleive, I have
always told you the truth and always will. I am so very sorry that you must
face this ordeal but please always remember that you are much loved and
thought about. So always be kind and gentle and soft spoken and I will keep
you in my thoughts and in my prayers.
Your Friend from far away,
Miranda
Christmas Conversation with Anna
Your Friend....
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My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou: I hope these few and silent words across the miles and miles of wireless networks finds you in good and comforted spirits and that your days of Christmas past and those to come where spent in love and friendship. I have kept you in my thoughts and in my prayers because even though we have never met nor ever will I know in my heart that you are a kind and gentle soul and that you may also know that inspite of what I may or may not beleive, I have always told you the truth and always will. I am so very sorry that you must face this ordeal but please always remember that you are much loved and thought about. So always be kind and gentle and soft spoken and I will keep you in my thoughts and in my prayers. Your Friend from far away, Miranda
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My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou: I hope these few and silent words across the miles and miles of wireless networks finds you in good and comforted spirits and that your days of Christmas past and those to come where spent in love and friendship. I have kept you in my thoughts and in my prayers because even though we have never met nor ever will I know in my heart that you are a kind and gentle soul and that you may also know that inspite of what I may or may not beleive, I have always told you the truth and always will. I am so very sorry that you must face this ordeal but please always remember that you are much loved and thought about. So always be kind and gentle and soft spoken and I will keep you in my thoughts and in my prayers. Your Friend from far away, Miranda
Conversations with John
Re: Dr Anna Pou Case
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Dear John; Thank you so much for the information regarding the multi part article by Jeffrey Meitrodt. I had the opportunity to read the information provided and felt that the information helped to clarify all of the other articles available. Having said that, it was certainly a difficult read for it brought back so many painful memories regarding my own condition. You see John, if the accusations against Dr. Pou are substantiated, the day she arrived on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital and the very moment she walked into those rooms I was myself in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of my arms as well as other parts with a morphine drip and other equipment I cannot even remember. Had I been on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital with those same tubes attached, would I be writing this email today? Perhaps it's an unfair question but it is nevertheless the question I have asked myself. And yet I also know that Dr. Pou is a very kind and compassionate person who sincerely beleived in her heart and in her mind that what she was doing was in the best interest of those individuals.As she said to me, remember to keep an open mind.And yet I can still hear the cautionary words of one of my teachers from graduate school who always said whenever talk turned to the Vietnam War, just remember this: the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And as I have told Dr. Pou repeatedly, I am so very sorry she is undergoing this ordeal and wish her only the best. Again thank you so much for the information regarding the articles and again I sincerely hope everythings turns out for the good. Miranda
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Dear John; Thank you so much for the information regarding the multi part article by Jeffrey Meitrodt. I had the opportunity to read the information provided and felt that the information helped to clarify all of the other articles available. Having said that, it was certainly a difficult read for it brought back so many painful memories regarding my own condition. You see John, if the accusations against Dr. Pou are substantiated, the day she arrived on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital and the very moment she walked into those rooms I was myself in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of my arms as well as other parts with a morphine drip and other equipment I cannot even remember. Had I been on the seventh floor of Memorial Hospital with those same tubes attached, would I be writing this email today? Perhaps it's an unfair question but it is nevertheless the question I have asked myself. And yet I also know that Dr. Pou is a very kind and compassionate person who sincerely beleived in her heart and in her mind that what she was doing was in the best interest of those individuals.As she said to me, remember to keep an open mind.And yet I can still hear the cautionary words of one of my teachers from graduate school who always said whenever talk turned to the Vietnam War, just remember this: the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. And as I have told Dr. Pou repeatedly, I am so very sorry she is undergoing this ordeal and wish her only the best. Again thank you so much for the information regarding the articles and again I sincerely hope everythings turns out for the good. Miranda
Re: Dr Anna Pou Case
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From: John Pope (jpope@timespicayune.com)
Sent: Mon 10/09/06 9:47 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Ms. Lucianna: Thanks for your note. Please check out a multi-part series that my colleague Jeffrey Meitrodt didon the days at Memorial Medical Center after Katrina blew through. Thosestories, based on information from a variety of sources, give the best ideawe're likely to get before the trial of what happened in that hospital. Best,John John PopeStaff writerThe Times-Picayune Phone: 504/826-3317Fax: 504/826-3007Cell: 504/717-1155e-mail: jpope@timespicayune.com----- Original Message ----- From: "miranda lucianna"To: Sent: 10/09/2006 9:47 AMSubject: Dr Anna Pou Case
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From: John Pope (jpope@timespicayune.com)
Sent: Mon 10/09/06 9:47 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Ms. Lucianna: Thanks for your note. Please check out a multi-part series that my colleague Jeffrey Meitrodt didon the days at Memorial Medical Center after Katrina blew through. Thosestories, based on information from a variety of sources, give the best ideawe're likely to get before the trial of what happened in that hospital. Best,John John PopeStaff writerThe Times-Picayune Phone: 504/826-3317Fax: 504/826-3007Cell: 504/717-1155e-mail: jpope@timespicayune.com----- Original Message ----- From: "miranda lucianna"
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Dr Anna Pou Case
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While I read your article with much interest and have also followed the arguments of support for Dr. Pou, my concern is first of all no one has talked about what the other hospital employees have indicated actualy happened. For example, according toe the head nurse on the seventh floor Dr. Pou told her that the decision had been made to administer lethal injections and when asked of what the Dr. responded morhine and versed. Did the fellow employees who said these things simply make it up or misunderstood what the doctor said and then it is also my understanding from the original dmort exams unusually high amounts of these drug combinations where indeed found in the individuals. There are those who also say that Katrina killed those individuals, yet it is not a storm that makes a decision to inject a fellow human being with drugs. While the conditions at the hospital where aweful, there is no other hospital where these accusations have come to light. I am sure that Dr. Pou is a very kind and caring individual and did her best in a terrible situation but how can that possibly justify the accusation of deliberately killing four human beings irrespective of their medical condition. My deep fear is that in an attempt to escape from the conditions and in accordence with the policy of not leaving anyone alive behind that Dr. Pou made the decision that these patients could not be evacuated and since they could not be left she injected them. I so hope that did not happen and just writing this rips my heart out for I do indeed know the doctor but please keep this confidential. I cannot understand how a kind and caring individual could possible come to believe that such actions, if proven, where in the best interest of the patients. Miranda
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While I read your article with much interest and have also followed the arguments of support for Dr. Pou, my concern is first of all no one has talked about what the other hospital employees have indicated actualy happened. For example, according toe the head nurse on the seventh floor Dr. Pou told her that the decision had been made to administer lethal injections and when asked of what the Dr. responded morhine and versed. Did the fellow employees who said these things simply make it up or misunderstood what the doctor said and then it is also my understanding from the original dmort exams unusually high amounts of these drug combinations where indeed found in the individuals. There are those who also say that Katrina killed those individuals, yet it is not a storm that makes a decision to inject a fellow human being with drugs. While the conditions at the hospital where aweful, there is no other hospital where these accusations have come to light. I am sure that Dr. Pou is a very kind and caring individual and did her best in a terrible situation but how can that possibly justify the accusation of deliberately killing four human beings irrespective of their medical condition. My deep fear is that in an attempt to escape from the conditions and in accordence with the policy of not leaving anyone alive behind that Dr. Pou made the decision that these patients could not be evacuated and since they could not be left she injected them. I so hope that did not happen and just writing this rips my heart out for I do indeed know the doctor but please keep this confidential. I cannot understand how a kind and caring individual could possible come to believe that such actions, if proven, where in the best interest of the patients. Miranda
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My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou: How so very sorry I am to have read this past sad week that the results of the medical investigation are now headed toward the grand jury and how inadequate these words of comfort must seem when faced with such a pending ordeal. Please know that with much due respect my heart goes out to you and that you are most assuredly in my thoughts and in my prayers for I know that you are a kind and gentle individual who was willing to sacrifice your time and energy to help those who where sick and in need. Also, if you would like, I am more than willing to contact my father on your behalf, himself a highly repected attorney as well as a Visiting Doctor of Law at Oxford University, a Member of the Board of Directors of the International Court of Arbitration and Co-Founder of a law school in Rome, Italy. While I cannot promise anything, I am more than willing to ask if he has any advise or knows someone who may be able to help in your defense. If not then just know that the offer was made with much respect and sincerity. Your Friend from Far Away and with profound respect, Miranda
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My Dear Friend Dr. Anna Pou: How so very sorry I am to have read this past sad week that the results of the medical investigation are now headed toward the grand jury and how inadequate these words of comfort must seem when faced with such a pending ordeal. Please know that with much due respect my heart goes out to you and that you are most assuredly in my thoughts and in my prayers for I know that you are a kind and gentle individual who was willing to sacrifice your time and energy to help those who where sick and in need. Also, if you would like, I am more than willing to contact my father on your behalf, himself a highly repected attorney as well as a Visiting Doctor of Law at Oxford University, a Member of the Board of Directors of the International Court of Arbitration and Co-Founder of a law school in Rome, Italy. While I cannot promise anything, I am more than willing to ask if he has any advise or knows someone who may be able to help in your defense. If not then just know that the offer was made with much respect and sincerity. Your Friend from Far Away and with profound respect, Miranda
Continued Conversations
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Dear Dr. Anna Pou:(A Few Final Thoughts)Though I am not one of those who follows with predictable regularity the unfolding stories splashed across the nightly screens or momentarily scanned in splashy and misleading headlines, I felt again a profound sense of sadness when I read about your troubles. After reading the testimony from your fellow employees, both nurses as well as those who comprised the crisis "command post", I thought to myself, how could a kind, caring and compassionate individual find herself in a situation where she felt administering combinations of morphine and Versed to patients, irrespective of their underlying pathology or chances of survival, was in their best interest. I thought that if I could just talk to you, not about the particulars involved in the case but rather about life in general, perhaps I could find the answer. And then I though to myself that in the end it really did not matter, there was nothing I could do about what happened on the seventh floor. Then I realized that there was indeed something I could do and it is this: from this point on all of my interactions with others, no matter their station in life, will be done with the utmost kindness and compassion in the hope that the ripple effects of those interactions might touch the lives of others in a positive and helpful way, thereby offsetting the effects your actions caused those months ago. For I do indeed beleive the things we say and do ultimately touches the lives of individuals we neither know nor will ever meet. For that I thank you. But please remember as I explained to you before: as far as I am concerned there is no judgement nor condemnation for in my Fathers kingdom there is only love. And so I say to you Dr. Anna Pou, please go in peace. Go in peace Dr. Anna Pou so that you too might have an answer to your prayer shared on the seventh floor those eleven months ago. Very Sincerely and with the Utmost Respect,Your Friend from Far Away,Miranda >From: "Pou, Anna M">To: "miranda lucianna" >Subject: RE: A Friend from Far Away>Date: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 23:48:37 -0500>>Miranda,>Thank you again for your kindness.>anna>>________________________________>
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View detailsTo apou@lsuhsc.edu
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Dear Dr. Anna Pou:(A Few Final Thoughts)Though I am not one of those who follows with predictable regularity the unfolding stories splashed across the nightly screens or momentarily scanned in splashy and misleading headlines, I felt again a profound sense of sadness when I read about your troubles. After reading the testimony from your fellow employees, both nurses as well as those who comprised the crisis "command post", I thought to myself, how could a kind, caring and compassionate individual find herself in a situation where she felt administering combinations of morphine and Versed to patients, irrespective of their underlying pathology or chances of survival, was in their best interest. I thought that if I could just talk to you, not about the particulars involved in the case but rather about life in general, perhaps I could find the answer. And then I though to myself that in the end it really did not matter, there was nothing I could do about what happened on the seventh floor. Then I realized that there was indeed something I could do and it is this: from this point on all of my interactions with others, no matter their station in life, will be done with the utmost kindness and compassion in the hope that the ripple effects of those interactions might touch the lives of others in a positive and helpful way, thereby offsetting the effects your actions caused those months ago. For I do indeed beleive the things we say and do ultimately touches the lives of individuals we neither know nor will ever meet. For that I thank you. But please remember as I explained to you before: as far as I am concerned there is no judgement nor condemnation for in my Fathers kingdom there is only love. And so I say to you Dr. Anna Pou, please go in peace. Go in peace Dr. Anna Pou so that you too might have an answer to your prayer shared on the seventh floor those eleven months ago. Very Sincerely and with the Utmost Respect,Your Friend from Far Away,Miranda >From: "Pou, Anna M"
Continued Conversations with Anna
Pou, Anna MTo miranda lucianna
From: Pou, Anna M (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Mon 7/31/06 9:49 PM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Miranda,
Thank you again for your kindness.
anna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sun 7/30/2006 6:00 PM
To: Pou, Anna M
Subject: RE: A Friend from Far Away
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: Thank you so very much for taking a moment to respond to
my email. I was so happy to hear from you and even though we have not met,
you are absolutely in my daily prayers and in my thoughts and I hope this
day finds you surrounded by sunshine and kind friends. And please remember,
that there is at least one friend, no matter how far away, whose heart goes
out to you. I wish you only the very best. It is my sincere hope that
perhaps we can be friends, that perhaps an act of kindness and compassion
can offset the pain and suffering that this terrible storm has caused. In
terms of what happened in New Orleans before, during and after the storm,
between you and I, it really does not matter except to say I am so sorry
that the storm hurt so many people. Can I tell you something: the other day
as I prepared to go to work, I was thinking about the daily oportunities we
have to be a blessing to those whom we meet, to show a demonstration of
compassion and kindness to those around us and in the so doing hope that our
actions while not able to erase the pain and suffering that exist in the
world, perhaps to at least offset it. You see in my field, I also help
people on a daily basis and I sincerely hope that my actions, my words of
kindness and compassion, may help to make their days a little brighter so
that when I go home at night I may know in my heart that while I have not
"saved the world" perhaps I have made it at least a little happier and a
little brighter and the people glad to have known me. As I write this I
glanced out the window and you want to know something: it is a wonderful
sunny day,the trees are swaying in a slight breeze and the tall mountains
are showing their wonderful greens and browns and even blues. (Perhaps that
is why they are called the Blue Mountains.) I hope that your day is filled
with wonderful and delightful vista's too and that you and I can be friends
and visit. And remember this: there is no judgement nor condemnation because
I am your friend as I hope you too can be.
Very Sincerely and Respectfully,
Your Friend,
Miranda
From: Pou, Anna M (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Mon 7/31/06 9:49 PM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Miranda,
Thank you again for your kindness.
anna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sun 7/30/2006 6:00 PM
To: Pou, Anna M
Subject: RE: A Friend from Far Away
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: Thank you so very much for taking a moment to respond to
my email. I was so happy to hear from you and even though we have not met,
you are absolutely in my daily prayers and in my thoughts and I hope this
day finds you surrounded by sunshine and kind friends. And please remember,
that there is at least one friend, no matter how far away, whose heart goes
out to you. I wish you only the very best. It is my sincere hope that
perhaps we can be friends, that perhaps an act of kindness and compassion
can offset the pain and suffering that this terrible storm has caused. In
terms of what happened in New Orleans before, during and after the storm,
between you and I, it really does not matter except to say I am so sorry
that the storm hurt so many people. Can I tell you something: the other day
as I prepared to go to work, I was thinking about the daily oportunities we
have to be a blessing to those whom we meet, to show a demonstration of
compassion and kindness to those around us and in the so doing hope that our
actions while not able to erase the pain and suffering that exist in the
world, perhaps to at least offset it. You see in my field, I also help
people on a daily basis and I sincerely hope that my actions, my words of
kindness and compassion, may help to make their days a little brighter so
that when I go home at night I may know in my heart that while I have not
"saved the world" perhaps I have made it at least a little happier and a
little brighter and the people glad to have known me. As I write this I
glanced out the window and you want to know something: it is a wonderful
sunny day,the trees are swaying in a slight breeze and the tall mountains
are showing their wonderful greens and browns and even blues. (Perhaps that
is why they are called the Blue Mountains.) I hope that your day is filled
with wonderful and delightful vista's too and that you and I can be friends
and visit. And remember this: there is no judgement nor condemnation because
I am your friend as I hope you too can be.
Very Sincerely and Respectfully,
Your Friend,
Miranda
apou@lsuhsc.eduapou@lsuhsc.edu
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From: apou@lsuhsc.edu (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
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To: apou@lsuhsc.edu
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Dear Dr. Anna Pou: Thank you so very much for taking a moment to respond to my email. I was so happy to hear from you and even though we have not met, you are absolutely in my daily prayers and in my thoughts and I hope this day finds you surrounded by sunshine and kind friends. And please remember, that there is at least one friend, no matter how far away, whose heart goes out to you. I wish you only the very best. It is my sincere hope that perhaps we can be friends, that perhaps an act of kindness and compassion can offset the pain and suffering that this terrible storm has caused. In terms of what happened in New Orleans before, during and after the storm, between you and I, it really does not matter except to say I am so sorry that the storm hurt so many people. Can I tell you something: the other day as I prepared to go to work, I was thinking about the daily oportunities we have to be a blessing to those whom we meet, to show a demonstration of compassion and kindness to those around us and in the so doing hope that our actions while not able to erase the pain and suffering that exist in the world, perhaps to at least offset it. You see in my field, I also help people on a daily basis and I sincerely hope that my actions, my words of kindness and compassion, may help to make their days a little brighter so that when I go home at night I may know in my heart that while I have not "saved the world" perhaps I have made it at least a little happier and a little brighter and the people glad to have known me. As I write this I glanced out the window and you want to know something: it is a wonderful sunny day,the trees are swaying in a slight breeze and the tall mountains are showing their wonderful greens and browns and even blues. (Perhaps that is why they are called the Blue Mountains.) I hope that your day is filled with wonderful and delightful vista's too and that you and I can be friends and visit. And remember this: there is no judgement nor condemnation because I am your friend as I hope you too can be. Very Sincerely and Respectfully,Your Friend,Miranda
Send email
Find email
View detailsTo apou@lsuhsc.edu
From: apou@lsuhsc.edu (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Saved: Sun 7/30/06 4:00 PM
To: apou@lsuhsc.edu
Saved draft. Continue composing this message
Delete
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: Thank you so very much for taking a moment to respond to my email. I was so happy to hear from you and even though we have not met, you are absolutely in my daily prayers and in my thoughts and I hope this day finds you surrounded by sunshine and kind friends. And please remember, that there is at least one friend, no matter how far away, whose heart goes out to you. I wish you only the very best. It is my sincere hope that perhaps we can be friends, that perhaps an act of kindness and compassion can offset the pain and suffering that this terrible storm has caused. In terms of what happened in New Orleans before, during and after the storm, between you and I, it really does not matter except to say I am so sorry that the storm hurt so many people. Can I tell you something: the other day as I prepared to go to work, I was thinking about the daily oportunities we have to be a blessing to those whom we meet, to show a demonstration of compassion and kindness to those around us and in the so doing hope that our actions while not able to erase the pain and suffering that exist in the world, perhaps to at least offset it. You see in my field, I also help people on a daily basis and I sincerely hope that my actions, my words of kindness and compassion, may help to make their days a little brighter so that when I go home at night I may know in my heart that while I have not "saved the world" perhaps I have made it at least a little happier and a little brighter and the people glad to have known me. As I write this I glanced out the window and you want to know something: it is a wonderful sunny day,the trees are swaying in a slight breeze and the tall mountains are showing their wonderful greens and browns and even blues. (Perhaps that is why they are called the Blue Mountains.) I hope that your day is filled with wonderful and delightful vista's too and that you and I can be friends and visit. And remember this: there is no judgement nor condemnation because I am your friend as I hope you too can be. Very Sincerely and Respectfully,Your Friend,Miranda
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Anna Pou Responds
My dear friends:
It has been nearly two years since my last post and I do apolagise for the long delay. The reason for the delay was a result of my two phone conversations with Sheri Fink. I contacted Sheri after reading her article, Deadly Choices which dealt with the events at Memorial Hospital right after hurricane Katrina had made landfall in New Orleans. I explained to Sheri that I was in the process of sharing my story and involvement with Dr. Anna Pou. Sheri asked me not to publish any more information on my site but rather to tell my story. We talked by phone on two occasions for appoximently eight hours. After that, I never heard from her again. So I decided to continue my postes because I would like there to me a historical record of my conversations with Anna between June, 2006 to July, 2007. I also intend publishing here all the emails. What folows is the first email I sent to Anna. It was basically a letter of introduction.
To apou@lsuhsc.edu
From: apou@lsuhsc.edu (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Saved: Fri 7/28/06 5:51 PM
To: apou@lsuhsc.edu
Saved draft. Continue composing this message
Delete
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: I sincerely understand and can imagine that you receive lots of email on a daily basis and would please ask that before deleting my email, please at least read what I have sent with an open and understanding heart. I also understand that you do not know me and that I live far far away from your state and the tragic circumstances swirling around last years act of nature.I myself was in the hospital recovery from major surgery and watched on tv the heart wrenching events as they unfolding in New Orleans. I can still remember how my heart just cried out for the ordeal the citizens where going through and even remember turning the tv off a number of times because I felt so sad for the folks who lost their homes and jobs and friends and pets. Even today I think back on what happened and my heart just is so sad about the tragedy. I sincerely hope that you will please read this with as kind an open heart with which it was written and that perhaps you will find it within your heart to respond with what I hope is the sensitivity in which it was composed. I would like very much to be a friend and to understand what happened without judgement or reservation. Sincerely and Very Respectfully,Miranda
I remember that when I sent Anna this email, I did not know if she would reply. Afterall, I was a complete stranger and she had therefor no real reason to reply. Approximately two days later, I received and email response from Anna.
To miranda lucianna
From: Pou, Anna M (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Sun 7/30/06 11:35 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Dear Miranda,
Thank you for contacting me and keeping an open mind. I am not at liberty to discuss the events that occurred during the wake of Katrina at this time.
If you can find it in your heart to do so, please keep the family members of those who died during Katrina, the nurses and me in your prayers.
With Warmest Regards,
Anna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Fri 7/28/2006 7:51 PM
To: Pou, Anna M
Subject: A Friend from Far Away
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: I sincerely understand and can imagine that you receive
lots of email on a daily basis and would please ask that before deleting my
email, please at least read what I have sent with an open and understanding
heart. I also understand that you do not know me and that I live far far
away from your state and the tragic circumstances swirling around last years
act of nature.I myself was in the hospital recovery from major surgery and
watched on tv the heart wrenching events as they unfolding in New Orleans. I
can still remember how my heart just cried out for the ordeal the citizens
where going through and even remember turning the tv off a number of times
because I felt so sad for the folks who lost their homes and jobs and
friends and pets. Even today I think back on what happened and my heart just
is so sad about the tragedy. I sincerely hope that you will please read this
with as kind an open heart with which it was written and that perhaps you
will find it within your heart to respond with what I hope is the
sensitivity in which it was composed. I would like very much to be a friend
and to understand what happened without judgement or reservation.
Sincerely and Very Respectfully,
Miranda
I remember when I received Anna's response how happy I was. I felt at the time that her resonse was the beginning of a conversation that I hoped would eventually allow me to answer the question of how something like this could have occured in America in the 20th century.
It has been nearly two years since my last post and I do apolagise for the long delay. The reason for the delay was a result of my two phone conversations with Sheri Fink. I contacted Sheri after reading her article, Deadly Choices which dealt with the events at Memorial Hospital right after hurricane Katrina had made landfall in New Orleans. I explained to Sheri that I was in the process of sharing my story and involvement with Dr. Anna Pou. Sheri asked me not to publish any more information on my site but rather to tell my story. We talked by phone on two occasions for appoximently eight hours. After that, I never heard from her again. So I decided to continue my postes because I would like there to me a historical record of my conversations with Anna between June, 2006 to July, 2007. I also intend publishing here all the emails. What folows is the first email I sent to Anna. It was basically a letter of introduction.
To apou@lsuhsc.edu
From: apou@lsuhsc.edu (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Saved: Fri 7/28/06 5:51 PM
To: apou@lsuhsc.edu
Saved draft. Continue composing this message
Delete
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: I sincerely understand and can imagine that you receive lots of email on a daily basis and would please ask that before deleting my email, please at least read what I have sent with an open and understanding heart. I also understand that you do not know me and that I live far far away from your state and the tragic circumstances swirling around last years act of nature.I myself was in the hospital recovery from major surgery and watched on tv the heart wrenching events as they unfolding in New Orleans. I can still remember how my heart just cried out for the ordeal the citizens where going through and even remember turning the tv off a number of times because I felt so sad for the folks who lost their homes and jobs and friends and pets. Even today I think back on what happened and my heart just is so sad about the tragedy. I sincerely hope that you will please read this with as kind an open heart with which it was written and that perhaps you will find it within your heart to respond with what I hope is the sensitivity in which it was composed. I would like very much to be a friend and to understand what happened without judgement or reservation. Sincerely and Very Respectfully,Miranda
I remember that when I sent Anna this email, I did not know if she would reply. Afterall, I was a complete stranger and she had therefor no real reason to reply. Approximately two days later, I received and email response from Anna.
To miranda lucianna
From: Pou, Anna M (apou@lsuhsc.edu)
Sent: Sun 7/30/06 11:35 AM
To: miranda lucianna (mirandaluc@hotmail.com)
Dear Miranda,
Thank you for contacting me and keeping an open mind. I am not at liberty to discuss the events that occurred during the wake of Katrina at this time.
If you can find it in your heart to do so, please keep the family members of those who died during Katrina, the nurses and me in your prayers.
With Warmest Regards,
Anna
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: miranda lucianna [mailto:mirandaluc@hotmail.com]
Sent: Fri 7/28/2006 7:51 PM
To: Pou, Anna M
Subject: A Friend from Far Away
Dear Dr. Anna Pou: I sincerely understand and can imagine that you receive
lots of email on a daily basis and would please ask that before deleting my
email, please at least read what I have sent with an open and understanding
heart. I also understand that you do not know me and that I live far far
away from your state and the tragic circumstances swirling around last years
act of nature.I myself was in the hospital recovery from major surgery and
watched on tv the heart wrenching events as they unfolding in New Orleans. I
can still remember how my heart just cried out for the ordeal the citizens
where going through and even remember turning the tv off a number of times
because I felt so sad for the folks who lost their homes and jobs and
friends and pets. Even today I think back on what happened and my heart just
is so sad about the tragedy. I sincerely hope that you will please read this
with as kind an open heart with which it was written and that perhaps you
will find it within your heart to respond with what I hope is the
sensitivity in which it was composed. I would like very much to be a friend
and to understand what happened without judgement or reservation.
Sincerely and Very Respectfully,
Miranda
I remember when I received Anna's response how happy I was. I felt at the time that her resonse was the beginning of a conversation that I hoped would eventually allow me to answer the question of how something like this could have occured in America in the 20th century.
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