Our Advisory Board member Renata Louwers wrote an incredible, honest, and powerful piece for Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine titled “We Can Offer You Some Helpful Resources”. She shares her experience that sadly, many caregivers will find relatable.

Teetering on the cusp of widowhood at 45, I realized my intensity had sent the hospital social worker scurrying away. Ours had been a tense and circular conversation littered with euphemisms (by her) and rage (by me).

She had initiated the conversation by saying she understood how tough “the journey” had been. Then she continued on about the “discharge protocols.”

“I can’t take him home,” I protested. “I can’t care for him at home.”

As if to prove that I actually could care for him at home, she noted “the care team has already signed off” on his discharge, and she was just awaiting the paperwork. The team would, she assured me, do all they could to “support this transition.”

Read more, here.

Thank you for being a powerful voice, Renata! We appreciate all you do for us at AnCan.

 

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