 |
 uanita Cruz* recently taught me a lot without ever speaking a word. She was my patient in the medical intensive care unit, where many patients cannot speak. In bygone years physicians not only knew their patients; they knew the entire family. This enabled physicians to help families as they dealt with end-of-life decisions. Such is now rarely the case.
I had not known Juanita previously, and she was deeply sedated or unconscious for her entire stay on our unit. A mechanical ventilator supported her breathing. Potent medications were applied intravenously to keep her blood pressure in a safe range. Dialysis, performed every day, mimicked her kidney function. Intravenous feedings and insulin were being given because her intestinal tract no longer functioned. »
|
|
|
|