Caregivers Overcoming Adversity

Welcome to Caregiver Friday!!!

Every time I read a story about a caregiver who takes on the healthcare system all I can do is think of Sally Field in the movie, Norma Rae.  It takes a lot of courage, perseverance, and resilience to be able to take a bad situation and go on to do something miraculous.  Yesterday I talked about the problems hospitals are having in regard to medical errors and the safeguards that are being installed to save lives.

The group Mothers Against Medical Errors (MAME) is what happens when someone takes their own tragedy and say, “NO MORE”.  It would be ideal if groups like MAME didn’t need to be started but they do and there are people who are willing their stories, not only on how to avoid the tragedy, but if it happens how to cope.

I know, if you’re a caregiver, you’re saying to yourself, “Oh my God, I have one more thing to worry about”.  The truth is that when it comes to your loved one in the hospital you’re already on high alert and you’re already conscious of what’s happening to the one you love.  This is where the twist comes in; you have to be willing to make your voice heard.

I guess the best representation of this is Shirley MacLaine’s role in Terms of Endearment.  She made her voice heart, in fact she made her voice heard throughout the universe.  The truth is that when you don’t get the response you feel is appropriate, you have to escalate.  There are times that the escalation brings attention to your situation.  Yes, you may get labeled as being histrionic, crazy, or unreasonable, but I believe you can deal with that once the person you’re caring for is out of the hospital.

Businesses have lessons learned meetings all the time so they don’t keep making the same mistakes over and over.  Why don’t doctors do that with patients and caregivers.  Stop being anonymous, be heard, and who knows you could be the one who saves the life of your loved one!