Every deep drawn breath: Podcast with Wes Ely
Though \u201cbreath\u201d is in the title of Wes Ely\u2019s book (and his song choice by the Police), relationships are its beating heart.
The book operates on two levels.
On one level, Wes Ely\u2019s book is an autobiography of a critical care doctor\u2019s horror and shame at discovering that his ICU practice of heavily sedating patients for days on end was leading to lifelong physical, cognitive, and psychological harm; and the arc of his redemptive journey to find a better way to care for patients in the ICU.\xa0\xa0
But this book also operates on a second, much deeper level.\xa0 On this deeper level the book is a story of Wes Ely\u2019s journey toward rediscovering the humanity in medicine by forging deep, lasting connections with his patients.\xa0 We begin and end today\u2019s podcast at this deeper level, talking about the spiritual connections, that doctors can forge caring for critically ill patients. (quick plug: next week\u2019s podcast is with Chaplains on Spirituality and Palliative Care).
We are joined today by Lekshmi Santhosh, head of UCSF\u2019s post-COVID and post-ICU clinic, to interview Wes about these themes that animate his book, and more, including how we lost our way in treating ICU patients during COVID, returning to the practice of heavily sedating patients for days on end.
Of note, Wes is donating proceeds from his book to the CIBS center, to benefit research and patient care to improve care for people with critical illness, during and after the ICU stay.\xa0\xa0
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