One of my most miraculous moments in my hygienist career happened almost two years ago. I received word that an old friend was in a coma and the prognosis was not good. I was so upset by the news but had faith that he would pull through. And just because he was in a coma didn't mean that I could not use my skills and compassion to help him and his family. So I volunteered my expert and empathetic skills to help keep Brett's mouth swabbed, clean, and moisturized so when he woke up, he could talk without pain and dryness.
While I worked on his mouth, I spoke "Hope" to him...Lots of stories, lots of laughter, reminders of fun times, sports watching, and of course, my belief that he would wake up when he was ready. Sure I could have done my bit in silence, but treating him like how he would treat me as a friend, even though he could not verbally respond to me was important. Just like in a dental office environment "soft skill" strengths like compassion, empathy and being able to read non-verbal cues helped me make the best of a bad situation. Positive vibes were needed in the hospital setting as well and remaining comfortable was a given for my friend.
So grab your favorite cocktail and listen to my podcast for the true story of my friend Brett, who survived a coma after brain surgery. His sister Kirsten will be here, as well, to share stories about growing up and about the moment he came out of the coma and said "talk,talk,talk" to me after opening his eyes and shocking me! She stood by his side and continues to help him with speech and prays for him daily to thrive. Did I talk him out of a coma? Listen to the podcast and judge for yourself!
