A few weeks ago, I underwent a cervical laminectomy, painful at any age and definitely difficult at my age at 81. I had the procedure done at NorthShore Skokie Hospital. I came away impressed by a remarkable thing, or perhaps not so much remarkable as normally unnoticed by most.
I was treated by a skilled surgeon and an incredible support staff. Every person who treated me, tested me or aided me was competent, thoughtful and genuinely concerned with my welfare. One expects that at a hospital. What I did not expect was the diversity of races, nationalities, religious backgrounds and sexual orientations. Each person I engaged in conversation was interesting, and any preconceptions about certain groups fell aside in a few moments of conversation.
