If You Can ’ t Cure Me, Get Back to Living

By ALAN PITT Several months ago I had a conversation with Dr. Robert Spetzler, the Director of the Barrow Neurological Institute. During our interview Dr. Spetzler mentioned that the patient needs to become captain of their own ship. I agree. Although most of us (as patients) would like someone to step in and care for us when we’re sick, rising costs and limited providers make it impossible for the healthcare industry to meet America’s expectations for care. Healthcare needs patient partners. But in all fairness, I thought to ask a patient what they need. So, with the start of 2017, I thought to ask turned to someone who deals with her care everyday, my mother. Sheila Pitt is an Art Professor at the University of Arizona. In 2008 my mom suffered a fall from a horse and became a quadriplegic. Since then she has gone back to work teaching and continues to make art with a new process she developed using the abilities left to her. In the past I wrote about my perspectives on her accident. I thought I’d discuss my mother’s journey in healthcare. Alan: So, Mom, can you tell me when you first realized you were quadriplegic? Sheila: Yes, I can. I was in my hospital bed having just returned from the surgical floor when one of the nurses referred to me as a quad. And—not to me but to someone else—they said, get this quad ready for whatever the procedure was. I was shocked. I had no idea I was a quad. No one had talked to me about it. No one had explained what that was abou...
Source: The Health Care Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs