____________________________ My life-long friend, Lloyd, has visited Hell this summer. He has gone through a season of physical pain, emotional distress, and drug-induced cognitive confusion. It is not over yet. His ordeal was caused by a serious infection that required emergency surgery. The condition created multiple systemic and, potentially life-threatening complications. Lloyd spent six weeks in intense physical and emotional pain as he moved from intensive care to an extended hospital stay and then to skilled nursing care. Recently, Lloyd was able to see visitors. I was fortunate to be one. I felt some of his pain as he talked about the physical and psychological trauma he had experienced. I listened as he talked about his deep appreciation of his wife, Kathy, who provided immense attention and advocacy for Lloyd as the two of them navigated their way through an imperfect healthcare system. Lloyd also told me that his vis...