Today is My Son's Birthday
Ilene Corina BCPA She / Her
Patient Safety Advocate for Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education & Advocacy
Today would be my son’s birthday.?If he were alive, I’m guessing we would celebrate in some way.?Truthfully, I don’t miss him anymore and I’m not ashamed to admit that.?I’m happy with my life.?I have two perfect sons.?Michael’s life, and death has given me a bigger cause, so I still think of him every day.
How many people do we know who have said that the doctor made a mistake, a loved one died from a preventable medical error, they have suffered their life with the aftereffects of a hospital acquired infection?
Yet still, there is no education for the general public about safe patient care. ?Books continue to come out on safe patient care from medical professionals or injured people which is where we are expected to be educated.?Is the public reading academic research on safe patient care? ?The public needs to be more responsible but we won’t take that seriously until one day you too are saying, it happened to me.?Truth is, I don’t belong to a cancer group or march to stop gun violence.?It hasn’t been my cause.?It hasn't affected me or my family enough to make me angry. Medical error did.?Michael died following his surgery because of the doctor’s mistake. I could have prevented it, I believe, if I knew then what I know now - medical professionals can, and do make mistakes. They are human.
Imagine a campaign for all people to be more responsible for their own safety.?As we buckle up on an airplane, we know to stop at a red light, we learn early to stop, drop, and roll if we catch on fire.?Why not have 5 Steps to Safer Health Care for your family to follow, for your employees to do, for your faith community to help each other?
领英推荐
We do!??www.TakeCHARGE.care?In memory and in honor of all those who wish they knew that they too could have done more, saved a loved one or spoke up.
Let's talk
Ilene
TakeCHARGE Team
3 年Thank you for sharing your son, your story and your amazing determination to make health care safer for everyone!
Rehabilitation Counselor | Vocational Specialist | Career Counselor | Information Technologist VRC | LMHC | MLS | OTA
3 年Your son’s legacy gave you a mission. That’s beautiful.
Happy heavenly birthday to your son and thank you, Ilene, for doing God's work here on earth. It's important work but often taken for granted until someone's own experience drives them to seek out our help. All we can do is keep advocating, keep educating and pray we make a difference in people's lives. It could save a life- even our own. We appreciate you and thankful for your service in honor of your son and the many others served over the last 20+ years and hope for many more to come. ??
Author, China Rx-Exposing the Risks of America's Dependence on China for Medicine
3 年As always Ilene, you are an inspiration.?