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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So, when you go to our website intensivecarehotline.com and you opt in for your free e-book, the Instant Impact Report, when you have a loved one in intensive care, we ask you what frustrations you have. Then, we get a lot of insights from our clients and prospective clients.

I want to read out another frustration here today so you can actually hear what our clients have to say. Also, if you do that, I will read out your frustration here one day and then ask you a question, if you can do that, then the more questions we get answered.

So, one of our readers writes, “I have several frustrations. One was the intensive care team said the numbers need to improve so that she keeps improving. Then all of a sudden, we were told and not being asked about taking my mom completely off dialysis. From Day 1 in ICU, we have felt they have written her off trying to say she was brain dead which she is not. Please help.”

Now, before I answer the question, I also want to remind you if you find my videos valuable, subscribe to my YouTube channel, click the like button, click the notification bell, share the video with your friends and families. So, you get regular updates for families in intensive care.

So, let’s address the question. So, it is often correct to say that the numbers need to improve when patients are improving. Now, that’s not the only thing that people need to pay attention to, but it is definitely a puzzle when patients are in intensive care. You need to look at numbers that includes vital signs, blood results, chest x-ray results, medications people are on, the dosages of medication.

So, the numbers are important, which then brings me right away to what I’ve been saying for the longest that the biggest challenge for families in intensive care is that they don’t know what they don’t know. They don’t know what to look for. They don’t know what questions to ask. They don’t know their rights and they don’t know how to manage doctors and nurses in intensive care. That’s exactly what we’re finding here.

Once again that, you have a good grasp that something’s not right. But in order to put this in much perspective, you need to look at all the critical details. You would need me to talk to the doctors and nurses directly. We would need to look at the medical records to find out exactly what’s happening so we can put things in perspective for you so that you can have this crucial second opinion in time for real need.

Now also, they might have taken off dialysis because the kidneys have recovered, or they might have taken off dialysis because they think it’s futile. Futile means or futility means of no perceived benefit to a patient. But that’s a perception, you will probably have a very different perception.

That’s why it’s critical to get a second opinion. That’s why it’s critical to have an advocate like me to talk to the doctors and nurses directly to find out what’s exactly happening.  Is it ethical what they’re doing?

Next, they’re trying to say she was brain dead. Well, it’s one thing to say someone is brain dead. The number of times we have exposed that intensive care teams tell families that their loved one is brain dead, when we then talk to them or I look at medical records, it’s often nonsense and it’s a scare tactic so that intensive care teams can get what they want.

There is a big difference between someone being brain dead and someone being brain damaged. Big, big difference. No correlation to the two. When someone is brain dead or are considered to be brain dead, there are two that need to do the testing. So, it’s not as simple as someone just say, “Oh, your loved one is brain dead.” There needs to be clear evidence for it.

Especially, if you felt like they’ve “written your mom off” from Day 1, that is of course, very sad to hear. It’s not a novelty for us because we’re dealing with this every single day. But we can also help you to turn this situation around like we’ve done for many of our clients, turning situations around making sure our clients get best care and treatment in intensive care with our consulting advocacy by giving you a second opinion, by giving you all the behind the scenes insights and secrets so that you know how to manage doctors and nurses in intensive care and get better outcomes.

Now, if you have a loved one in intensive care, go to intensivecarehotline.com. Call us on one of the numbers on the top of our website or simply send us an email to [email protected] with your questions.

Also, have a look at our membership for families in intensive care at intensivecaresupport.org. There, you have access to me and my team 24 hours a day in a membership area and via email and we answer all questions, intensive care and Intensive Care at Home related.

I also offer one-on-one consulting and advocacy over the phone, via Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, whichever me works best for you. I represent you in family meetings with intensive care teams. I talk to doctors and nurses directly in intensive care to ask all the questions you haven’t even considered asking but that are absolutely crucial to get peace of mind, control, power, and influence while you have a loved one in intensive care so that you can make informed decisions.

We also do medical record reviews in real time so that you can have a second opinion in real time. We also offer medical record reviews after intensive care if you have unanswered questions, if you need closure, or if you are simply suspecting medical negligence.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel, click the like button, click the notification bell, share the video with your friends and families, and comment below what you want to see next or what questions and insights you have from this video.

Thanks for watching.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I will talk to you in a few days.

Take care for now.

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