When I was a medical student several years ago, I saw someone die in front of me for the first time. My classmate and I weren’t responsible for the patients; we only observed and made additional reports for our studies. The following day, we disc…
Category: Critical Care
A glimpse into the fragile balance of life and death in the ICU
It was a calm and quiet night in the ICU during my rotation when suddenly, the piercing sound of a code blue alarm filled the air. An elderly female patient, 66 years old, had come in earlier with lung clots due to ovarian cancer. She was on the other …
The underappreciated heroes of health care: a doctor’s appreciation for therapists
As a doctor who has cared for countless critically ill patients, I cannot stress enough how important therapists are for patient recovery. Whether it’s occupational, physical, or speech therapists, these health care professionals play an integral…
The underappreciated heroes of health care: a doctor’s appreciation for therapists
As a doctor who has cared for countless critically ill patients, I cannot stress enough how important therapists are for patient recovery. Whether it’s occupational, physical, or speech therapists, these health care professionals play an integral…
The secret side of a brilliant ICU physician revealed
As I look at his obituary pictures, I can’t help but feel a sense of longing. I wish I could have known him – that other side of him that his family, friends, and colleagues are sharing in their photos. They’re all smiling and laughin…
A tale of two patients: one journey, two stories of courage
It was a busy night in the emergency department, as usual. I rushed from one patient to the next, trying to keep up with the constant stream of people coming in with various ailments and injuries. One patient, in particular, stood out to me that night….
A medical advocate’s role in the COVID ICU [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, guest Sara L. Merwin, co-author of The Informed Patient: A Complete Guide to a Hospital Stay, shares her experience helping a family navigate their loved one’s hospit…
From hope to heartbreak: a story of loss in the ICU
Ms. Laura was a vibrant and feisty lady with a personality that filled the room. She had been my patient two months ago when she was admitted for an irregular heartbeat and COPD exacerbation. She was a smoker, and despite her heart issues, she had a st…
A personal journey through hospital-acquired psychosis [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join us for a touching and insightful episode with Natasha Khalid, a geriatrics fellow, as she shares her personal experience of dealing with ICU psychosis in a loved one. Natasha takes us …
The ICU experience that changed a young doctor’s perspective forever
As a healthy 30-year-old intern with an infant, I never expected to land in the ICU on a random Thursday at 10 a.m. As I prepared to start my first precepted thoracentesis at the VA, I suddenly began to experience double vision. Assuming it to be a wei…
