When Life Comes to a Standstill by Shirley Michaela Seul

For a More Human Medicine

How do we deal with people, including ourselves, who have fallen out of their normal, undamaged life? We are not prepared for that – and heart surgeon Ehsan Natour intends to change that. During his years of working in hospitals, thousands of examples have taught him to always perceive the human being rather than just a “case”. This has considerable implications for the healing process and the way in which we master a crisis. If the doctor finds such a soulful approach to the patient, they will become a team and will together take care not only of a sick organ but of the whole human being.

Using the example of a heart operation, Dr. Natour leads us through the complete process of a crisis. For this purpose, he has developed a graph in which we can “locate” ourselves. Crises, after all, usually begin long before we notice them – and often last longer than we want to believe. The author navigates us to through the phase in which life seems to come to a standstill. His approach can lead to a win-win situation for everyone: hospital personnel gaining meaningful experiences, patients getting back on their feet faster, relatives being recognized as vital support rather than being overlooked – a therapy for our sick health system. An important book in the ethical discussion of the healthcare profession.

A successful heart surgeon’s plea for a more humane medicine

The best strategies to deal with life-threatening crises and to find a “new normal” without the old mistakes

Plea for an encounter between doctor and patient on equal terms