A state of chaos
As I watched my father’s oxygen levels drop, I was feeling a roiling despair. I scanned desperately the list in my hands – all crossed out. None of the hospitals I had called had a bed. As for my attempts to arrange for an oxygen cylinder – the prices I was quoted were unbelievable, ranging from $1,000-$1,500. I was prepared to pay them to save my father’s life. But there were no cylinders available.
