Editor:
While reading "OB-Gyn Turmoil at St. Joe's" by Carrie Peyton Dahlberg (Blog Jammin', June 21,) regarding a near-ban on sterilization for the chain of hospitals which includes St Joseph and Redwood Memorial, I became angrier and angrier at the gall of those people in administrative jobs making these decisions.
According to the article, "doctors could not use a woman's age, her psychological condition or the number of her previous pregnancies as medical grounds for sterilization. ... Doctors also would not be allowed to sterilize women whose future pregnancies might worsen serious heart, kidney or other conditions." The administrators are making very personal, values driven, health based, financial decisions for each and every woman and man and their family who would be affected by this near-ban on sterilization.
The hospital policy is restricting health care and narrowing medical care options for people in our community. I dare say the vast majority of people in this country and this community are against such restrictions of care.
I stand up and applaud Dr. William Weiderman for his action in protest of this hospital policy. I describe the policy as anti-family, anti-woman, anti-privacy and anti-health.
Anger can move us to action. Let the hospital administrators know your thoughts and beliefs. How else can we change the policy? Boycott the hospitals?
Irith Shalmony, RN, Arcata
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