Esther was living in a family group home at age 88. She had advanced dementia and suffered a previous stroke. Leann took care of Esther in her private caregiving home and was alarmed when Esther’s blood pressure dropped suddenly as she became sweaty and unresponsive. Paramedics arrived immediately and started IV fluids on the way to the ER. As … [Read more...] about End-of-Life Tools
Acknowledge Turning Over a New Leaf
Penelope ‘wasn’t acting right’ and EMS transported her to the emergency department. Her distraught daughter, Lynn, arrived within minutes and scrambled to find the notebook listing her elderly mother’s vital signs over the past several days. Penelope had stopped chemotherapy for multiple myeloma and was being treated for a recent urinary tract … [Read more...] about Acknowledge Turning Over a New Leaf
The Emergency Room Homestretch
Sam’s memory was fading at 82, but he was well-aware of having chest pain. After having undergone a second cardiac bypass surgery ten years ago, his wife Lucy knew to call 911. The paramedics gave Sam nitroglycerin which promptly dropped his blood pressure and slowed his pulse rate. Sam received IV fluids and arrived safely at the ER with his pain … [Read more...] about The Emergency Room Homestretch
Autumn Concessions
Ed had an easy-going personality at the ripe-old-age of 82. He came to the ER with his worrisome wife, Sally, due to diarrhea and dehydration. Ed felt weak, but remained upbeat. He was dealing with prostate cancer that failed to respond to two different courses of chemotherapy. Sally was cautiously optimistic that the next round of chemo might … [Read more...] about Autumn Concessions
Bargaining in Your Patient’s Best Interest
Peter, a spry 91-year-old gentleman with progressive dementia, arrived in the ER after pulling out his feeding tube while sleeping. His daughter, Linda, stated, "He hates this thing. Does he really need it?" While hospitalized for a hip fracture, Peter’s nurses observed him choking while eating. A swallow study with contrast revealed he was at … [Read more...] about Bargaining in Your Patient’s Best Interest
A Caregiver’s Code Yellow
Kara was a lovely 62-year-old woman whose skin color was flagrantly yellow. A pancreatic tumor was blocking bile secreted by her liver. Her gastrointestinal specialist was in the process of evaluating the spread of the cancer while considering treatment options. Kara was growing impatient while becoming more weak and nauseated. Her best friend, … [Read more...] about A Caregiver’s Code Yellow
Palliative Care Tools
Andy was just discharged from the hospital, but had to return to the ED when his breathing worsened. At 72, he had smoked most of his life and was also exposed to asbestos while working construction. While his doctors believed he had mesothelioma, the pathology report from a lung biopsy was still pending. Andy did not wish to stay in the hospital … [Read more...] about Palliative Care Tools
23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards
Title - Wishes To Die For Author: Kevin J. Haselhorst Books are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “needs improvement” and 5 meaning “outstanding.” Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 5 Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 5 Production Quality and Cover Design: 4 Plot and Story Appeal: 5 Character Appeal and Development: 5 … [Read more...] about 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards