Before you read further, let me warn you in advance that some of what I'm discussing here has to do with bodily fluids and diarrhea. If you're a caregiver and have dealt with this, I hope this helps.
Recently, I was working with a family who's elderly mother had intermittent diarrhea as a result of gall bladder issues and some antibiotics she was taking for an infection. She wouldn't leave the house for fear of an accident. Embarrassing, depressing and isolating.
Robotic Surgery: An Innovation That Changes Everything
This changes everything. How many times have you heard that and wondered if it was really true. Well, in the case of Robotic Surgery, not only is it true, but it's transforming the way patients are getting treatments and recovering in days instead of weeks. Imagine the old-fashioned way, when as surgeon, Dr. Mary Kilkenny described, she had "Barbie Doll arms" and could only access areas of the body using the equivalent of "scissors on a stick". You can see my interview with Dr. Kilkenny and Dr. Pisani and listen to what real women who had the procedure have to say.
Disclosure: I'm thrilled to be working with El Camino Hospital to highlight some of the extraordinary ways that they do whatever it takes for patients. The more I learn about the innovations and cutting-edge use of technology in health care, the more impressed I am.
Wednesday, April 25th, at 7:20 on CBS 5, KPIX in the San Francisco Bay Area, join me as I showcase the innovations with Robotic Surgery.
I wish that I could bring all of you along with me to the Operating room and watch a surgery using the DaVinci Robot. Many people hear Robot and automatically think of something out of a Science Fiction movie. And yet, this is just another tool for surgeons to use. The surgeon is in complete control at all times.
During my nursing career, I've cared for many patients who are recovering from surgery. One of the most difficult aspects is the pain they have from the incision or opening in the skin and muscles. These cuts could extend for inches and didn't just leave permanent scars on the skin, the memory of the pain was something that people never forget. Immediately after surgery, coughing, deep breathing and getting up to walk were important, but with excruciating pain, it was often difficult to impossible to motivate people.
Here's the First in the Series of 5 Blogs on Robotic Surgery
I was so excited when I was offered the opportunity to go with a patient, Kara*, into the Operating Room (OR) and watch her surgery. I was even more excited because unlike the past with an open procedure that meant 6 weeks of recovery, she opted instead to have her hysterectomy done by Robotic surgery. I had seen the brochures and watched a few videos prior to getting dressed in scrubs and heading for the OR, but I wasn't prepared for the simple elegance of what I saw there.
I found this interesting article on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner's (AANP) website: Tobacco Exposure in Childhood Raises COPD Risk in Adulthood.
Children exposed to tobacco smoke may be at significantly increased risk of developing chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD) in adulthood, new research suggests.
Please watch this video of Nurse Barb speaking with Dr. Catherine Collings and Dr. Jane Lombard, both of whom are cardiologists at El Camino Hospital, and to a woman who survived her heart attack.
Disclaimer
I hope you'll join me for the Day of Dance on Saturday February 25th. This is part of a nationwide event to help all of us get up and get moving to reduce our risk of heart disease. I'm delighted to be working with El Camino Hospital to inform people about the incredible services available there, including their Heart and Vascular Institute.
I hope you'll join me for the Day of Dance on Saturday February 25th. This is part of a nationwide event to help all of us get up and get moving to reduce our risk of heart disease. I'm delighted to be working with El Camino Hospital to inform people about the incredible services available there, including their Heart and Vascular Institute.
Imagine heart surgery where a valve is replaced. Are you picturing it? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Lots of blood, a big incision in the chest? I mean, it's open heart surgery right? Well, not necessarily. Imagine replacing one of the hearts valves through a small incision in the leg?
