I got to know Joseph * over a number of months. He was first admitted to hospital in April, when his bed overlooked the garden with trees in bud. As Spring turned to Summer he was readmitted, and when Autumn came he watched the leaves change colour and fall. Each time he was admitted he spent more time in hospital and less time at home, and we worried more about whether this admission might be his last.
Posted in Death
Tagged care, chronic disease, chronic sorrow, compassion, death, fear, grief, hope, identity, illness, living bereavement, living loss, NHS, patient
On a recent set of on call shifts I met James,* who my team treated for pulmonary emboli. He was a lovely man; visits to check he was on enough oxygen to maintain his saturations and to assess his haemodynamic status were a joy, due to his easy manner and good humour.
One one occasion I was with my Consultant, who had known James for a while prior to this admission. At the end of the consultation he asked a very powerful question “is there anything else on your mind?” At this point I was closing the notes folder and putting my pen in my pocket, expecting to move on to the next patient. But James did have something on his mind.
What I have not mentioned is that James is HIV positive. He has been living with HIV for many years and facing the challenges associated with this with resolve and good humour. His current problem was not directly related to his HIV status, but as is the usual practice whilst he was in hospital he was cared for by both the general medical team, and the “immune deficiency team” who were able to advise on potential interactions with his ARVs and give other specialist input.
Posted in Life
Tagged AIDS, chronic disease, confidentiality, discrimination, doctor, health, HIV, patient, person, Sexually transmitted disease, stigma
drlj 