Thread by @Singh011Jaspal

Today we cremated my father, who died this past weekend after suffering effects of #LongCovid accelerating his dementia & other health problems. He went from an adventurer to a cripple in a matter of months. A 🧵 1/

He got COVID spring of ‘21 before being fully immunized. Initially seemed like he recovered, but clearly more trouble with memory, weakness, motivation. thelancet.com/journals/lanps…

And then this sudden lack of desire to move became harder to overcome his weakness. @HeidiEngel4 @IcuPerme @ellenhillegass would have loved to have had PT prioritized for him. We knew he needed but he lacked motivation & resources

blog.rehabselect.net/life-after-cov…

With COVID rules, we were limited to where and how much we could visit, further aggravating his delirium when he was hospitalized. journalofhospitalmedicine.com/jhospmed/artic…

We started thinking of where he could be cared for, only to find options for elderly, weak, and neurologically impaired patients are so limited, much less those with diversity, apt meal options, & ethnic accommodations. #CallToAction for solutions

…s-jbs-prod-cdn.jbs.elsevierhealth.com/pb/assets/raw/…

Not meeting his basic needs then, my dad’s chronic conditions flared up to a whole new level. I am sensing a tidal wave of patients like him coming through with all sorts of serious chronic issues

cdc.gov/pcd/issues/202…

He died this weekend, & folks were asking how he died when he was so healthy appearing last year. It does not say COVID on his death certificate, but yes #COVID had a lot to do with the pace of his deteriorating health.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-condi…

So my dad died after a cardiac arrest & unnecessary very prolonged CPR. Earlier palliative care efforts were often dismissed during admissions as unnecessary since “he was getting better” each time. 🥲

jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai…

He looked so weak/disheveled from these last few weeks/months. He lost so much #dignity. I had never before tied a turban on a corpse, but did so for my Dad today, to provide him some sort of dignity at his funeral. Interesting to have Dignity be a goal.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-…

So why share this? I spent last week teaching about how to see patients and families in the #ICU, round with them, but never felt my own dad was seen by the vortex of healthcare.

Also to remind folks #LongCovid is potentially avoidable w/vaccines & masking.

I also share this because getting people out of the vortex of poor health requires a village, like in the #A2F bundle. And we will see many like him with long COVID effects. Proper food, exercise, meds, social support are necessary but often out of reach for many.

I also share this as I think about how a little #compassion from his health care team at brief moments meant the 🌎 to us, but sometimes we had to go and ask for it. #CompassionFatigue is real. medpagetoday.com/publichealthpo…

I found comfort in books like “Every Deep Drawn Breath” which remind me how much we need to evolve in healthcare.@WesElyMD it was incredible to me how it is taking so long to right this 🛳 but the stories were beautiful, your efforts appreciated icudelirium.org/every-deep-dra…

I used my Dad’s story to reflect also on what it is that I want to be my own story at the end, and could not help but think of @JRandallCurtis1. We all are fragile & it’s important to nurture relationships while we can.

link.springer.com/article/10.100…

Dad found peace eventually, but if my physician wife and me both have such trouble navigating the system, I cannot imagine what others go through. It is frightening. There will be many more & so much more to learn.

@CIBScenter I see much more clearly the value of your work. 🙏🏼

In the end, we give Thanks 🙏🏼 to all those who helped celebrate Dad’s life today, and for those who work tirelessly to make healthcare better for all. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.