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Advice for Relatives of an Ill Family Member

Dr. Paul | January 23, 2014 | 6 comments
 
Holding hands with ill patient.

In the last two weeks, while I’ve been taking care of my mom, first in the hospital, and now at a rehabilitation center, I’ve learned several important points about healthcare. Below are the most important:

Don’t get sick. If you do get sick, and have to go to a hospital, have family or friends spend as much time with you as they possibly can. The family needs to check and double check everything that the hospital staff does. Family has to actively advocate for the patient, in a kind, respectful, patient, and persistent manner.

I am always impressed with how kind, caring, and... Read More

My Mother Part II: The ICU and Beyond

Dr. Paul | January 13, 2014 | 6 comments
 
Vitals monitor in hospital.

Most of us have seen images of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) in the movies, tubes hanging down from bags of fluids, and the ventilator tube extending from the patient’s mouth. We’ve heard the rhythmic sound of the ventilator and seen the visual images of graphs and numbers on a screen, all representing the patient’s life force—their vital signs.

It’s entirely another matter when it’s your own mother.

She looks lifeless, with the whooshing sound of the ventilator breathing air into her fluid filled lungs. She is receiving an IV drip of a powerful sedative, which prevents her... Read More