The Diving Bell And The Butterfly Analysis

Health Literacy and Communication Problems:
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Where is the Mango Princess?
The University of Missouri

Health Literacy and Communication Problems “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” is written beautifully by Mr. Bauby, who had a stroke that resulted in lock-in syndrome. Mr. Bauby had little gross and fine motor movement, but his cognitive abilities were intact. Mr. Bauby could only communicate by blinking his left eyelid. In another novel, “Where is the Mango Princess?” by Cathy Crimmins, touches on Cathy’s life during a taxing time of her life when her husband, Alan (Al) was injured in a boating accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A change in Al’s personality,
Bauby’s time in the hospital room 119 of the Naval Hospital on the French Channel, he experiences communication issues that have impacted him. “No one had yet given me an accurate picture of my situation . . .” recalled Mr. Babuby clinging to the hope that he would quickly be back to himself talking and walking again (Bauby, 1997, p. 2). An absence of communication led Mr. Babuby to incorrectly assume his prognosis. Later, he learned he would never be able to live his former life again; Mr. Bauby reported that when was officially a quadriplegic he was devastated by the brutal down grade because he had such high hopes (Bauby, 1997, p. 2). The one-side conversation that is associated with locked-in syndrome may have been a barrier between the providers and Mr. Bauby. Doctors may have found it easier to tell Mr. Bauby’s family instead of directly telling Mr. Bauby. Health literacy is a mutual duty between health care providers and patient to communicate is ways that the other person can understand (Osborne, 2013, p. 2). Providers should adjust by talking directly to the patient, not speaking to loved ones as if the patient is not present. information and prognosis should be given in a timely manner and not withheld from the patient. Due to lack of communication, Mr. Bauby dealt with having an unrealistic expectation of getting
Cathy was stressed and had to plan how she would “attack” the doctors with questions, if she hoped to get any answers. After Al’s time at the hospitals, Al enrolled in a rehabilitation facility, Magee (Bauby, 1997, p. 104). At Magee, Cathy had to adjust to the idea she could easily communicate to the health care providers; Cathy was accustomed to trying to pry information out of the doctors like “guerrilla attacks” (Crimmins, 2001, p. 115). This change that Cathy witnessed is transferable to Mr. Bauby’s experience in acute care. Lack of communication was the “normal” and resulted in a colossal effort to have the option to communicate. Looking at Mr. Bauby’s and Cathy’s experiences, the barriers the staff and doctor are facing is the busyness of their jobs. The staff most likely did not realize that they were not giving Mr. Bauby or Cathy an option to communicate. Although a lack of consideration to be patient and give Mr. Bauby or Cathy the option to communicate led to poor patient care. The staff can adjust the time they give to each patient, asking questions, and waiting for a