This episode of The Nocturnists is sponsored by the Bucksbaum-Seagler Institute for Clinical Excellence at the University of Chicago.

The Institute is dedicated to fostering compassionate doctor-patient relationships and advancing clinical care.

Each year, the Bucksbaum-Siegler Institute recognizes extraordinary healthcare professionals through the National Clinical Excellence Award.

To learn more about the award and to nominate a deserving clinician,

visit buxbaum institute.u-chicago.edu.

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Details may have been changed to ensure patient confidentiality.

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You're listening to The Nocturnous Conversations. I'm Emily Silverman.

Today, our guest is the wonderful and wise Dr. Rana Audish. Rana's book, In Shock,

was published seven years ago and is basically canon at this point in the medical memoir world.

The book tells the story about how when Rana was pregnant,

a hepatic adenoma ruptured and caused her to bleed into her abdomen and very nearly die of hemorrhagic shock.

It's a harrowing story, not just because of the disease state itself,

but also because of the delays,

missteps, and other difficult aspects of the ordeal. Triaging her to L&D instead of the regular ER

because of her status as pregnant, not responding to her with nearly the urgency as was necessary,

as demonstrated by sending in the intern and resident to take her history as she

bled into her liver, focusing on her baby pretty much exclusively and not really moving on

to address Rana's health until the baby sadly dies, speaking about Rana in the operating room

as if she couldn't hear, and saying things like she's circling the drain, a nurse lying her flat and then stepping away, leaving Rana to struggle with shortness of breath from pulmonary edema until she hit the code blue button.

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