Free Chaos at Crescent City Medical Center by Judith Townsend Rocchiccioli Page B

bee n 'fixed'.  She's been V oodooed , Hoodooed, if you like, and so have all of you .  Someone has placed a curse and hexed Crescent City Medical Center. "  With that, he turned and l ooked at the group .
    The meeting broke into chaos; everyone was talking at once.  Alex was shocked by the captain's disclosure. It was totally ridiculous that in 2012 someone could curse a world - class medical center. Finally, Dr. Ashley called for order.
    Don Montgomery spoke for the first time , finally shocked out of his unresponsiveness .  "This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.  Voodoo, black ma gic.  This is one of the greatest technological and research-focused facilities in the country , in the world .  Captain Francois, y ou are an idiot!  How in the hell can you possibly suggest that the Governor's wife has been voodooed at Crescent City Medical Center?"  Don's voice was an oc tave higher than usual, and seethed with disgust.  "It's unthinkable that authorities could even suggest such a thing.   This is total bull shit.   Get the fuck out of my conference room. " 
    Captain Francois stiffened.  "You asked for my theory and I gave it to you."  He walked straight toward the door of the conference room, parting the crowd as he left.
    Dr. Ashle y and Elizabeth were shocked by Don’s outburst but also doub t ed the possib ility of voodoo.  Alex was in a state of disbelief that the accusation had even been made.  Maybe the police captain was an idiot. 
    Montgomery spoke again, “This has to be an act of corporate sabotage.  Someone is trying to ruin us, shut us down.   We are a world class hospital and people are jealous . Between Voodoo and the fucking Health Care Portability Act, aka Obama C are, they probably will destroy us. "  
    Alex was stunned by Don’s profanity and jabbed him in the side.  She finally spoke, "I can't accept voodoo or black magic as the basis for what's happened."
    Al ex was attempting to sound reasonable when she realized that no one on the board of trustees from New Orleans had said anything or seemed to question or doubt what Francois had said .  She looked around and said, "What do those of you from here think?" 
    A silence that seemed like an eternity followed.  Finally, John Marigny spoke.
    "Alex, Don, those of you who aren't from New Orleans.  Here , like it or not, voodoo is a reality.  There are plenty of people who practice voodoo as a religion, just like we practice Catholicism .  Whether we choose to believe in it or not, it's a large part of our culture.  We've got to consider it."  There were still skeptical looks from board members who were not native New Orleanians , but they were pondering John Marigny’s words .
    Robert Bonnet spoke, "I have to agree with John.  Before Katrina and the destruction of the m edical archives at Charity Hospital , you could read full reports about patients who've been voodooed, or "hoodooed" as they call i t.  Nurses and physicians have been treating patients with these claims fo r years.  Lots of patients would bring their gris-gris , or good luck charms, to the hospital with them for good luck or protection and keep it with them while they were hospitalized.   It’s the same all over the city.  I’ve seen patients at Tulane , East Jefferson and LSU H ealth S ciences C enter who have gris gris , or charms, at their bedside or in their bedside tables. We’ve even had nurses in the OR remove gris gris from patient’s clenched fists after their general anesthesia.   Hell, I have given permission for patient’s to keep their gris gris with them during surgery. "
    Alex was incredulous a t Robert’s admission and flabbergasted to think that physic ians in a world-class hospital w ould give credence to Voodoo.  It was unthinkable to her , and she bristled at the thought of it.  She glared angrily at Robert and attempted to interrupt him, but he silenced her with his hand. 
     
    Robert looked around and , noting