Thread by @WesElyMD

1/ End of Life in #COVID19...
yesterday I was removing life support from a patient, according to his wishes as stated by his wife, to convert the goals of care to comfort measures only. I took some time in the room alone with him & considered...
@pallipulm #palliativecare

2/ just for a moment all the very difficult & also excellent things that happened in my own life that no one else understood. Then I looked at my patient & realized he had just as many highs & lows that only he knew. Here was an infinite treasure of a person...
#MedTwitter #Nurse

3/ and the actions I was about to take would allow his life to come to a peaceful natural end. I committed to do everything I could for him to make sure he didn’t suffer as he sauntered out of life. What a privilege & honor to be allowed to enter into the miracle of him...

4/ what drew me into critical care were the beeps and buzzers and interventions that saved lives. But what keeps me coming back is the intimacy at the bedside of both lives saved and lives improved by providing lifting and healing when cure is not possible.

5/ what’s so powerful about the #pandemic of #Covid is that all of us are focused on how to stop it and get out of this cycle of death. When I do that, it keeps my mind on the future, but as an ICU doctor, I must remain in the present moment With patients who need me right now.

6/ today we will take actions to save some lives of those infected w #SARSCoV2, but many actions we take won’t stop the virus from ultimately ending this person‘s life. That’s the reality. For all of those pts, I will stay 💯 in the moment.

#VaccinationCovid #vaxx #vaccination

7/ I will remember to stop and take a moment to consider the depth in the breath of who this person is. I will try to find out what matters to this person. I will ask about and honor any spiritual path this person has chosen. I will be merciful. It is my honor to serve him.