Educational Series — Post 12
Educational Series — Post 12 The Work Behind the Stability: Two Problems, One Day Sometimes the most important care is the crisis that never happens. Thursday we had two situations involving equipment essential to my son Alex’s respiratory support. Neither resulted in an emergency. But both required recognizing a problem, understanding the equipment, making decisions, taking action, and arranging for replacement parts or repairs. And both illustrate something I’ve been trying to explain for years. Keeping someone stable is not the same as having very little to manage. Let me explain. Situation #1: The diaphragm pacer was alarming. I returned home from the YMCA, and both Alex and his nurse, Jenny, told me they had been doing some problem-solving. Alex’s diaphragm pacer was sitting in a different position than usual. Jenny explained that it had been beeping. Remember, Alex’s implanted diaphragm pacing system provides his PRIMARY respiratory support. This is life support. Jenny and...
