Knock Knock Eye: I Survived the U.S. Healthcare System. Barely.

Five years ago this month, I died. I mean, not for long—but long enough. In this episode, I talk about it. The cardiac arrest. The four-year curse. The memory gaps. The part where Kristen saved my life on a mattress, then got told I was “end of life” and left in a hospital hallway with no cell service. I don’t usually get into this on the podcast, but it’s time. I also talk about what it’s like to return to clinic too soon, what empathy fatigue feels like when it hits you mid-exam, and why Australia’s healthcare system makes me want to scream and cry and hug a Medicare card. Oh, and yes, I checked—I did not get a single ophthalmology consult while hospitalized. Rude. Takeaways: I Gave the Saddest Talk in Australia—and They Thanked Me for It. Nothing like telling an entire country of surgeons: "Whatever the U.S. does, do the opposite." We’ve Got Trauma. We’ve Got Memory Loss. We’ve Got... Thai Food? My hippocampus was out to lunch, but at least I wasn’t. Shoutout to solo dinners in Sydney. Cardiac Arrest Might’ve Been the Easy Part. Kristen had to do chest compressions. Then fight a hospital. Then explain to our kids why Dad was suddenly gone. Empathy Fatigue is Real. And It’s Ugly. I went back to work too soon. And I knew it the moment I got irrationally annoyed by dry eye complaints. I Think My Wife Asked for Artificial Tears While I Was in the ICU. I can't prove this, but it feels on brand. I’ll confirm and get back to you. — To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can’t get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! – ⁠⁠⁠ http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken⁠⁠⁠ Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact. For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14 Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 -- A friendly reminder from the G’s and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit ⁠⁠⁠http://www.EyelidCheck.com⁠⁠⁠ for more information. Today’s episode is brought to you by DAX Copilot from Microsoft. DAX Copilot is your AI assistant for automating clinical documentation and workflows helping you be more efficient and reduce the administrative burdens that cause us to feel overwhelmed and burnt out. To learn more about how DAX Copilot can help improve healthcare experiences for both you and your patients visit ⁠⁠⁠ aka.ms/knockknockhi ⁠⁠⁠ . To learn more about Pearson Ravitz go to ⁠⁠http://www.pearsonravitz.com/knockknock⁠⁠ . Produced by ⁠⁠⁠ Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices