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Sick And You Cared

Tom McCaughey. Wavertree Communications Inc., 2005. 112 pages.

Ottawa, Ontario

As a lay reviewer, I would look for a book to reveal a lot about its author. This is exactly what I discovered in this interesting publication.

The book is directed in part, towards the parent of a sick child or close family member of an ill person. But it is equally directed to those who are involved in the care of these people. It provides some useful insight into the interactions at play in these unhappy situations. From these observations, one can develop a better and more compassionate medical and personal relationship with the ill.

The book begins with a personal experience with illness, and proceeds through a lifetime of observation and experience in the field of medicine. The author’s compassion and love of mankind comes through. He finds good things in many of the family traditions exhibited in the customs of people he has encountered around the world and at home.

The book is concise, with short chapters which generate the feel of a chat with the author on the deck in the summer over a glass of iced tea. The topics shift rather quickly. Anecdotes and memories pop up and demonstrate a point. The scenes skip around the globe from modern, high tech facilities to poor, primitive conditions of developing countries. Old customs are compared favourably with new modern concepts of family interactions.

One chapter, the intensive care unit, stands out as a useful and thoughtful seminar on how to relate to the very sick. For the family, it suggests ways to deal with the frightening environment of the intensive care unit and the staff encountered there, for the good of the sick family member. For the medical staff, it provides insights in how to relate to, accept and facilitate the family interactions. The book deals with pain, acute, chronic and emotional and suggests ways of dealing with each.

The author is a Gold Medal recipient from the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society, and an experienced anesthesiologist who has been head of a tertiary care department. He has had extensive experience in developing countries as a teacher, a traveller, humanitarian, and observer of mankind. He has a compassion for life and a passion for medicine.

The book reflects the author. It is a special publication to enjoy in quiet moments, savouring one or two chapters at a time.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a scholarly reply Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Barry, W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Barry, W.