I haven't spent a ton of time in hospitals but have had a couple of bouts of surgery between the Twin Ports and Rochester in the past.  For the most part those hospital experiences were decent enough, but I didn't know what an amazing hospital experience was until Thursday.

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My Queen was having some heart issues and being a U.S. Air Force Veteran had a scheduled procedure at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.  Care had actually started in the Twin Ports VA Clinic, but due to the nature of the procedure needing to be done, they wanted her at the larger clinic a couple of hours south.

We arrived much earlier than her scheduled appointment time and were greeted kindly at the entrance with only minor COVID screening questions and a requirement for masks on the whole time.  After some blood being drawn, we went to the next area where they further prepped her for the procedure.  Every staff member we encountered in this area was not only polite and professional, but also a joy to be around.  Yes, heart procedures are a serious matter, but the staff knew when to slip in a joke and bantered back and forth with the wife and myself as we bantered with them.  My wife wasn't concerned with the procedure, but I was, and their attitudes put me at ease.

The staff also took their time and did a great job explaining to both of us what was going to be happening throughout the process.  They took it a step farther and called me three times during the procedure to keep me updated but also to chat and see how I was doing.  So not only were they looking out for my wife, but they were also thinking of me too and that's really neat in my book.

I didn't really have any opinions either way about the Veterans Health Administration prior to Thursday, but now I can say that I'm definitely a fan.  Everything I saw about how they work is how every hospital experience should be.

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