We believe it is normal to have mixed feelings in moments like these. We received the date for the HOH hearing to address and/or hear my complaint against them within two weeks in January 2026, where their team of 10 or 11 people will be present, while we will be there with only myself and one other person—just the two of us. We are not allowed to bring even a third person, which was my heartfelt request.
Whether this is fair or not, we are proceeding according to their rules. In our opinion, this is exactly what discourages many people who have experienced mistreatment or poor service at HOH from even starting to fill out a complaint form and walking this difficult path. To make matters worse, the information we received states that the ward physician during the week of negligence against my mother will be on vacation and will not be present.
Is this a lack of seriousness, or is the situation simply being left in the hands of locals only? What are we supposed to do? Does this show who really runs our hospital? Could it be that without Dutch doctors, there are not enough doctors here? It feels as if we are the ones who committed a crime by filing a complaint against them. Sad, isn’t it?
This will be a new experience for us; it feels as if we will be standing before a green table, but the roles are reversed, as if they are the victims. We even feel they may come with a battalion of lawyers to support their position. No way! From the very beginning, I clearly stated that I wanted an explanation as to why there was no doctor available to see my mother when her sugar level was dropping drastically to zero. We were told the doctor was busy. But weren’t there any other doctors available then? Or was the ward physician perhaps enjoying our beautiful beaches and sea?
Anyway, health permitting, we will meet the team of medical professionals in January 2026. We may not understand all their medical terminology, but surely they can communicate simply and humbly with the public—in this case, me, Ruthy Vrieswijk.
Oh! This story is almost finished, and I would like to congratulate my handsome cousin Jerry, THE guitarist of Aruba! Jerry Diaz, the best! We enjoyed ourselves immensely at Passion, listening to his wonderful music and meeting Nora of Passion with her beautiful head ribbon, a super lovely bow right on her head. She complimented my headpiece, which my Haitian friends also love to wear.
Let me also share that on December 21st, Johan and I celebrated our 48th wedding anniversary in a truly wonderful atmosphere. And Lady Ruth’s Christmas celebration with her friends Idra, Milly, and Miriam was also incredibly lovely, complete with a delicious ayaka!
We believe this may be the final story for 2025, as the days are long and full of activities. We wish all our dear readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2026 filled with health, joy, wisdom, and a sweet kiss every day—one day at a time! A big, tight bear hug to all of you with love and affection! Thank you for all the kind comments faithfully received.
It warms our hearts to meet people who say they enjoy reading our stories weekly. Lady Ruth writes from and with the heart, focusing on positive, honest, and beautiful things that uplift the surrounding community, while also sharing snapshots of the various activities she attends. Occasionally, we also share unpleasant situations so the public knows we cannot simply swallow everything without speaking up—such as the case of HOH, our hospital, where more effort is needed to improve the quality of care.
We know this is a global situation, but better work can be done. A good doctor maintains contact with and visits their patient in the hospital and does not neglect a patient because they are too busy. A good doctor speaks with and informs the family when requested and does not rely solely on nurses by phone to do their job. A good doctor admits their mistakes, knows they are not God, and does not decide over the lives of our elderly. Not everyone who is a doctor is a good doctor.
Lady Ruth’s ten cents’ worth of words, learned at her BIDA University. God willing, we will meet again in 2026. In the meantime, take care of your body and remember to visit your elders—give them your time, attention, and love. Listen to their stories, hug them, and tell them you love them!
Written by
Ruthy “Lady Ruth” Vrieswijk-Bergen
