[NPInfo] Caring Bridge

[johnnyhudson at sc.rr.com]

Hi All…

 I’ve been off the list serv for quite a while, due to personal illness. (Still lurking, though!) I’m better, but still a long ways from full recovery. Anyway, that’s not why I’m posting today.

I want to share with you all a resource called Caring Bridge. (www.caringbridge.org) This service allows someone to create a simple website to keep families and loved ones informed during difficult times. In return, family and friends can offer the patient and caregiver support through guestbook messages. You can also post links to other sites and post pictures.

Someone suggested this site to my wife when I first took ill, and its been an amazing experience for us both. We both are transplants to South Carolina, and both have family and friends scattered throughout the county. Not only has the site allowed us to keep people informed, but it also allowed them to communicate easily with us. Its been an amazing way to journal all we’ve been through in the last 15 months, and provided a type of therapy for my wife, as an outlet for her feelings and emotions. 

I had never heard for Caring Bridge before my illness. Some of you probably have. For others, I encourage you to explore the site. (my personal site is www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnnyhudson ) If you feel it appropriate, add it to your list of resources to recommend to patients and friends who are going through a difficult time. It is my hope that others will find this resource as beneficial as my wife, family, friends, and I have.

To my friends on the list serv: I’m slowly recovering, but still have long ways to go. I’m working in the office a few hours a week, doing a few projects and some research, trying to say active. I’m returning slowly to teaching also. I’m doing a talk on cerebral bleeds to a group of new ICU nurses in a few weeks. I hope to be able to begin seeing patients again in the coming months, though I fear my days of running the halls of the hospital and covering neuro-trauma call are quite a ways off. 

Best wishes to all!

Johnny Hudson, NP
johnnyhudson at sc.rr.com
University of South Carolina 
School of Medicine
Division of Neurosurgery