Somehow, against gargantuan odds, she not only survived, but came out of this ordeal neurologically intact, and is now back working as a medic and educator. She very sadly lost her baby, required multiple major operations and went on to accumulate a royal flush of every imaginable medical complication, from septic shock to stroke. A mass in her liver ruptured during pregnancy, a vanishingly rare event, and her entire blood volume leaked into her abdomen.

In the recent renaissance of popular medical literature, this is the standout book that will truly make you reconsider the way you practise medicine.I n two thousand and something (we’re never given an idea of dates in the book, meaning we’re always slightly disoriented in time, as if we’re drifting in and out of a coma in intensive care), Dr Rana Awdish was admitted to the Detroit hospital she worked in and came pretty much as close as is possible to death. Her lessons will stay with you long after you close the cover. Concluding the book is a section detailing communication tips from both doctor and patient perspectives.Īwdish writes eloquently, honestly, and with a passion that jumps off the page. Despite the harrowing subject nature, Awdish manages nevertheless to instil a sense of hope in later chapters by documenting the positive impact of her journey on her colleagues and institution. She also discusses how the isolating medical culture that she (and many others) trained under encourages physicians to internalise their emotions with potentially devastating effects to themselves and their patients. The refrain of poorly judged phrases used by some members of Awdish’s healthcare team throughout the book emphasises how such encounters can remain with patients for years to come. However, what sets this book apart is her insight into how this traumatic experience was not only able to change her own practice as a doctor, but also empower her as a patient advocate for compassionate communication. This in itself makes for gripping reading, with plenty of twists and turns on the way. Awdish gives a raw and brutal account of the loss of her unborn child, subsequent emergency surgery, multi-organ failure, and the difficult road to recovery. Fortunately, few have encountered illness to the extent of ITU physician Rana Awdish, who was rushed to her own department as a patient following a catastrophic perinatal haemorrhage. ‘Tense, powerful and gripping … her writing style is often nothing short of beautiful - evocative and emotional.’ 1Įvery doctor has been on the receiving end of medical treatment.

In shock by dr rana awdish