St. Cloud VA Medical Center

“I have been going to this care center for many years and I always get the best treatment from my providers. I usually see a mid level but they are kind and respectful. I can’t think of another place that treats veterans with this much respect and kindness.”

“They quarantined me for about a week, ended up being for a common cold. Tested me for c.diff which I got in 2008, I tested positive on very low side. Lots of vets would test positive if you tested them. It colonizes in the gut. I am asymptomatic. I had no other symptoms other than symptoms of cold and stress ibs because I have a jpouch, I couldn’t pass a test they need to “prove” I didn’t have it. So I was back in routine of classes which are really good by the way and they pulled my roommate, and put someone in with pos c diff. I thought he was active so I could get it easier since I had it before. But he was inactive as well. They had us eat in our rooms but could go everywhere else touch coffee pots, straws, go to gym where if we had spores we would have spread them. But we weren’t active or they would have never let us out. I finally stopped being upset when a very nice pretty nurse made a calendar for me so I could choose my meals like I was in chow hall. One of the head kitchen people if not the head kitchen person told me, “ you know this isn’t room service” so right then and there I decided not to eat their food. I didn’t for six days. I had crackers and boost at night to have enough to get by. During that time they let roommate go to chow hall but I could not because they asked something impossibly that I could never do for them. Then infectious people came down, like six or seven of them. They were hypocritical and “remorseful”. They weren’t when so many people advocated for me. One of them said do you want to kill an old man with cancer? I have as much chance as anyone to do that. I wash hands, never have problems with accidents. I was livid by then, I told them I was leaving and they wanted me to stay to work something out. I lost my trust in the system and was treated with little respect by a few and certainly by a big group by the top level who didn’t come down until final hour. There are good people there and amazing classes. But like they taught us in class, one moldy strawberry can ruin the whole package. I learned lots of lessons in there. My fellow vets are heroes even when struggling and the system cares about you like they did when we served. I’m done with the system. Thanks Sarah, Amanda,Chad, Robert and Gary. Good luck when you go. I think some have good case workers and experiences. I did not have either.”