Dr. Ahmed Zeb Khan, MD

Part 2 of 2 Around 6pm, I insisted that something was wrong, and the nurse agreed to have the night nurse schedule a breathing treatment for Dad. Around 8pm, the respiratory therapist came and first checked Dad’s oxygen level via an atrial blood test as that provides the most accurate assessment and was shocked to see Dad’s CO2 level was above 70 (normal levels are 35 to 45). They then placed a CPAP on Dad and rushed him back to the IMU area where we would receive intensive monitoring. This was the very same area where he had been 12 hours earlier but was moved because he was “improving.” The CPAP mask they placed on Dad was too small and by Friday morning it had smashed his nose into his face. Dad had struggled to breathe with it all night and tried to take it off several times. Thank goodness the respiratory therapist had mercy on Dad and found him a larger mask; however, by then he had already suffered for many hours. Once on Friday morning, when I left the room, the hose connecting… the mask to the CPAP machine came off and Dad’s oxygen, heart rate and blood pressure all dropped to levels that required several staff to rush in for fear that he was going to pass away. Dr. Khan did not really have anything new to say that day; however, he asked me whether Dad wanted to be resuscitated if something like that were to happen again. The staff said Dad needed to keep the CPAP on until his CO2 levels got back to normal levels, and they were still too high. That meant Dad was unable to drink or eat or talk from Thursday night until the end. This brings me to Saturday. On Saturday (Dad’s last day alive), although Dad couldn’t talk with the CPAP, you could see in his eyes that he was yearning for someone to help him. On Saturday morning, when Dr. Khan made his rounds, he opened the door and took two steps into the room, which was about 15 feet away from Dad, and never got any closer to Dad. I was in disbelief and disgust that Dr. Khan took so little interest in Dad that he didn’t come closer and examine Dad. Dr. Khan simply asked if we had any questions and in my state of sadness due to his lack of care, I could not think of anything to say, so Dr. Khan left the room never to be seen again. Dad died Sunday morning.