Chapter 21

"Jessica's notes, and I guess you've been over this, show that you were admitted to the hospital in Paragould. They believed you were having a myocardial infarction, commonly referred to as a heart attack. The only thing of note is that they attempted to insert a catheter in your groin area, and punctured your kidney with the needle. I'd have to look at the records to see just what they were trying to do. In any case, you were transferred to St. Bernards in Jonesboro after what, about two hours?"

"About that." Jessica said.

"OK, so whatever, they decided it something they couldn't handle. They sent you to St. Bernards in Jonesboro. They did a bypass surgery, routine from the looks of it. Then something went wrong. Two days later. Apparently something rather spectacular. Kasey?"

"I didn't know it was Alex until now." Kasey said. "I was still there, at St. Bernards, and we all heard about it. A heart surgery patient went into cardiac arrest, after a successful surgery. It happens, but you were in the ICU, they would be on top of it in a minute or two. But your vent failed. Or something. The word was you were gone, for fifteen minutes. There was a lot of chatter, and being told to cut it out.

"I can see how that would shake some people up." Dr. McFarland said. "Anything else?"

"Just that he was probably brain-dead anyway." Kasey replied. "Which is what you would expect."

"Do you know any more about what they did after that?" Dr. McFarland asked.

"No, it got real quiet. Later I heard they moved him to another hospital. I assumed, as anyone would, that it was somewhere that might be able to help him. One of the big hospitals, in Dallas, St. Louuis, somewhere like that."

"You would think." Dr. McFarland said. "How long have you been a nurse, Kasey?"

"About, what is it Jess, ten or eleven years since we graduated?"

"Almost eleven." Jessica said.

"You were at St. Bernards most of that time?"

"A couple of years at UAMS, then I came to Jonesboro. Yeah."

"It would take a while to see it." Dr. McFarland said. "You get wrapped up in work, don't look to the side sometimes. I'm quite a bit older, and probably as a doctor knew things you didn't, even if you suspected them. The ugly side of the business, which wasn't always so obvious. Or so widespread. The Covid operation made a lot more of us see it. And act. Not enough, unfortunately.

"The Covid operation - and it was an operation, no matter how haphazard - was what made it jell, as they say, for me. I saw that most of my colleagues were compromised. I probably always knew it, somewhere inside, but didn't want to face it.

"But when it came to coercing people, to not only submit to a useless and dangerous so-called vaccine, but for doctors to withhold effective treatment - literally killing people - made me admit I had been part of something that was truly evil.

"So I got out. There are quite a few doctors out here who are fignting it, and helping the people who need medical care but don't trust the established order."

I missed most of that. In the hospital most of the time, then here, not getting out until recently. Jessica said it was crazy, masks and all.

Dr. McFarland continued.

"As to what this has to do with your case, Alex, the medical industry is a dirty business. Has been for long time really, with the mergers and acquisitions of big hospitals, and in some cases even small ones like St. Bernards here in Jonesboro, essentially taking over many of the even smaller ones, in the outlying towns. Even my employer, Baptist in Memphis, operates hospitals in Arkansas and Mississippi. I like to think they're still somewhat more ethical than most, but the entire medical industry is such a cesspool, it's difficult for anyone to be untainted. You have to just get out of it."

"Where does Arkansas Continued Care fit into it?" Jessica asked.

"From the little that I know," Dr. McFarland said, "I would never send a patient there. Not that I would have anything to say about it, if I were still at the hospital. They've only been here about four years, and I've heard plenty of horror stories.

"I tried to distill the months of the ACCH records into something brief." Jessica said. "Do you have any ideas about that?"

"I would say it looks like a case of the inmates running the asylym. Except it isn't, as far as I know, a mental institution. Maybe it should be, with the staff as inmates.

"Alex was ostensibly there for treatment of his kidney failure, and for whatever could be done about his suspected brain injury. What you have here, is a list of about two dozen psychopharmaceuticals, to fit it all into one word. I guess have a general idea of what those are, Jessica. I know Kasey does."

"I have a general idea." Jessica said. "Enough to scare me."

"I see, right off, a half-dozen anti-psychotics, several anti-anxiety, a couple used to treat schizophrenia. And at least one is used to treat bipolar disorder. Did you see anything about Alex being examined by a psychologist?"

"I saw nothing in the records. Dr. Copeland is the only doctor mentioned. In any case, he was never sufficiently conscious to be examined. And I never saw Dr. Copeland, or any other doctor. And in was in there for hours most days. When I asked to see the doctor he was never available. I believe Charlie and Sam may have talked to him a time or two."

"Charlie and Sam?"

"My sisters." Alex put in.

"I see. Copeland rings a bell, from where I don't remember. If he's a local I may have met him somewhere.

"From what I see here, this is either the most egregious case of malpractice I've ever seen, or something else. Or maybe both."

"What's the something else?" Jessica asked.

"Deliberate fraud. Using hospital patients. Fraud has been systemic for as long as medical insurance has existed, and Medicare and Medicaid made it infinitely worse, given that the government is so corrupt. And inept. But most fraud is at least somewhat more subtle than this. There's someone you should see, who can enlighten you further."

He picked up his phone. Tapped a few times, held it to his ear.

"Harry? Arthur here. I have something you may be interested in. You in town?"

"OK, hang on...

Lookin over at Jessica and Alex.

"How flexible are you for a meeting?"

"Pretty much any time."

"OK, any time's good... tomorrow any time. Sounds good. Thanks Harry."

"Kasey, if you'll take Jessica and Alex to meet Kelli, have her give them Harry's card and mine... Jessica, Alex, you can visit Harry tomorrow, any time. He can explain a lot more than I can."

He picked up the folder.

"Do you mind if I keep these?"

"Not at all. If you need more information from the records, just let me know."

They followed Kasey down the hall to a small office. Kelli was an older woman, from Jessica's perspective. Younger to Alex. Probably late forties, maybe fifty. Nice casual attire, professional-looking, the way people used to dress in offices. What happended, Jessica wondered.

"Kelli, could you give us cards for Harry and Dr. McFarland please?"

"Sure, just a sec."

She opened a drawer, took out a couple of business card folders and inserted a couple of cards in each.

"Here you go," she said, handing them to Jessica.

"Harry Billings is someone you'll be interested to meet." Kasey told them. "He's a man of many talents, and has a special interest in cases like yours. Come on, I'll show you out."

"It's good to see you again." she said as they were leaving. "I wish the circumstances were different. Be safe and stay in touch."