Code Blue: A Katrina Physician's Memoir by Richard E. Deichmann M.D.

by Richard E. Deichmann M.D.

Paperback

Published January 1, 1786

Reviews

[DAGMARA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent memoir by physician who was Dept Head of Internal Medicine at Baptist Hospital during Hurricane Karrina in New Orleans. He voluntarily assumed a position of leadership in evacuating the patients and nearby residents who had taken refuge at the hospital, many with pets. He describes the ordeal and the multitude of failures and chaos of evacuation as the hospital generators failed, cell phones and other means of communication failed, and the hospital began to run out of food and water after the levees broke and the city flooded changing the dynamics of the disaster from that of a category 4-5 hurricane to a massive flood. He mentions someone bringing up the question of euthanasia and states he advised them it was illegal and remains unaware of any instances. The book is interesting and reads quickly as he describes the many different challenges and unanticipated obstacles the skeleton staff had to overcome to evacuate patients and neighborhood refuge seekers.