Brad was different after he returned from the warzone, having completed the second deployment of a stem cell transplant to combat multiple myeloma. He looked good despite his generalized battle fatigue, carrying both the scars of a dialysis fistula on his left arm and a chemotherapy port under his chest wall. Brad had received support from his … [Read more...] about Second Deployment: The Dad Brad Story
I Can’t Get No Patient Satisfaction
Ruth was a spry, but frail 98-year-old woman who was stiff and sore following the 6-hour drive from California to Arizona. She had suffered a recent wrist injury and was not recovering well after spending three weeks in a rehabilitation center. She was in the midst of upheaval and discontent – in the throes of relocated to an assisted-living … [Read more...] about I Can’t Get No Patient Satisfaction
One Man’s Stigmata to Bear
Self-expression is rarely easy for patients because words often cannot articulate how patients feel inside. Children are often asked to draw pictures in order for psychologists to gain insight into perceptions surrounding particular life experiences. Paul, a 57-year-old patient with a provocative and morbid sense of humor, stunned the ER staff … [Read more...] about One Man’s Stigmata to Bear
When Letting Go Becomes a Luxury
When Letting Go Becomes a Luxury Silva was sitting in a wheelchair next to her husband, John, who had been admitted to the emergency department due to chest pain and dementia. Silva herself was recovering from hip surgery which had necessitated their downsizing and moving to assisted living just five days prior. While John resided in the memory … [Read more...] about When Letting Go Becomes a Luxury
Survival of the Fittest Does Not Apply After 85
John was an 88-year-old ranch owner who struck gold when he sold his homestead in Wyoming. His “golden years” in Arizona were spent struggling with back pain and caring for his 80-year-old niece with dementia. He ran out of pain medication and presented to the ER for another “handout” of hydrocodone. He admitted that life was taking its toll and he … [Read more...] about Survival of the Fittest Does Not Apply After 85
The Final Blow to Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali, 74, died two days after being admitted to a local hospital on Friday, June 3. The three-time heavyweight champion had been fighting Parkinson’s disease almost immediately after retiring from boxing 35 years ago. He had been hospitalized several times in the past two years for severe urinary infections. It is often said of the dearly … [Read more...] about The Final Blow to Muhammad Ali
IDEO Challenge: Re-imagine End-of-Life Care
“I don’t want to give up,” expressed a heroic 52-Year-old woman who had been battling aggressive metastatic breast cancer for three agonizing years. At one point, Natalie had almost achieved the insurmountable feat of remission, but then the cancer returned with a vengeance. Natalie arrived at the crossroads of a decision point in the emergency … [Read more...] about IDEO Challenge: Re-imagine End-of-Life Care
Death Happens While We’re Busy Making Other Plans
Whereas Prince did not have an estate plan before his untimely death, I am weirdly planning to be here today (in Phoenix) and gone tomorrow (to St. Louis). When my father takes his last breath this week or next, I anticipate that a part of my life will stop as he passes – rapidly moving from a state of living to mourning. Not only is death … [Read more...] about Death Happens While We’re Busy Making Other Plans