It would be interesting to see some actual research into this theory.
Makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks for posting this.
If I found out I was terminal, I wouldn’t do a thing to stop it.
I’d enjoy life, get my things in order and get right with God.
Not necessarily in that order.
Some of this article is realistic - futile measures at the end of life often are torturous. Performing CPR on a terminal cancer patient could count among them.
However, I have personally helped bring two people back with CPR and an AED. Both recovered fully and are leading fullfilling lives with family and careers. What is the article suggesting? That I should have left my 37 year old colleague (with two young children) to die on the floor? That I should have allowed my 53 year old neighbor to die on the floor of her kitchen in front of her 16 year old son? Both were apparently healthy before suffering a sudden cardiac event.
The author needs to make a clearer distinction between people whose conditions are long-term and clearly terminal and who need loving care to ease their suffering and those who otherwise in decent health who have a sudden event.
Expect to see more and more articles like this as Obamacare kicks in and we are all encouraged to forgo that bothersome end-of-life care to make the numbers look a little better.
I have already told my doctor my wishes, he said at the time, I feel the same way you do. Just let me go...Its not the governments decision, its the family but mostly the patients decision. If family members cannot respect any decision the patient made, do them a favor and just leave them alone and don't bother to visit, cause you don't love them enough to respect their wishes....
You care more about the pain you will feel when they pass and are not honoring their wishes therefore you are not honoring them.... I nursed both of my parents in my home when they were terminal, For my father is was less than a week and he died....my mother was a little over 6 weeks...I was not going to let them die in a nursing home or hospital. Had 5 kids at the time and found time to care for my parents...they died 10 years apart...
It can be hard for a child to follow the parents wishes, but at least you know you are carrying out their wishes and not doing it on your own..If one of the children doesn't agree with the decision, too bad cause that is spelled out in the will...anyone that makes trouble for those that have been assigned the medical Power of Attorney are automatically cut out of the will...you have to cover all bases and spell out everything in legal document.
I would recommed you don't use just any lawyer, but a lawyer that specializes in that area and can have you avoid completely probate courts...It is the last loving thing you can do for your children. It shouldn't be their burden People should not leave the burden to their children to make that decision. Every person should have a Power of attorney for medical treatment spelled out and signed. Every couple of years I ask the 2 children that have the power if they think they can respect my wishes and if they think they can't, no problem, I will assign another to that job. Legally....
Funny how this article ignores the doctors that starved Terri Schiavo to death or the ones that kill babies. I guess they hadn’t seen enough end of life./s
My dentist who is affiliated with Mt Sinai in NYC told me that doctors turn to homeopathic medicine instead of having heart surgery, just because they know the results and what happens during surgery. At the time I thought this strange, but after reading this article,it makes sense. My 99 year old aunt passed away this past Sunday. She would have died four years ago, with dignity. Due to drugs, her illness was prolonged. During this time frame she was miserable as well as those around her.
My guess is, after seeing ends results of their patients, doctors decide how to treat themselves. Also that would show how much of a guinea pigs we are when we enter into the emergency room. It’s ALL about $$$.
Bunp
My first wife was married to a doctor and she was a hospital photographer for several years so she has some insight. Doctors sometimes have a “god-complex” thinking themselves as heroes that must not make a mistake. They hold the power of life and death (they think) and must not lose one patient.
Sometimes they think that they know better than us little people what is best for us.
I think the important thing here is to take charge of your own health. Make our own decisions and not expecting “Dr. Oz” to fix everything (they can’t).
Modern medicine “treats” illnesses many times rather than “fixing” the issue. This is directly opposite of how we address “fixing the car”. What if you took your car to a mechanic and instead of fixing a burned out muffler he handed you a pair of earplugs? Doctors need to be honest and say “I can’t fix that”.
My mother had a heart attack in her ‘80’s, had 5 bypasses and then lived about 10 more years. After surgery I thought she never was quite “right”. Her last 2 or 3 years saw her mind degrade in a series of strokes. She didn’t recognize me the last time I saw her. Do I wish she didn’t have the bypasses? No! But it does give you something to think about.
(Is this article future propaganda hoping we will all die off instead of being a burden to the “state”?............um...maybe)
The “Torch” treatment story sounds like a no-brainer, pardon the unintentional pun. An agonizing treatment from which four months are expected, vs. a mild palliative from which eight months are expected then an easy death... what would anybody pick? I could see if the person wanted to offer himself to science or some such heroic deed, for the sake of trying to improve the miserable treatment through experimenting with variations until it eventually beat the palliative treatment or stumbled into a cure. But most who offer themselves to science do it posthumously, thank you very much.
Based in my experience of 14 years of nursing, this is BS propoganda. I’ve known many nurses & physicians who have become I’ll & died over the years. All entered the healthcare industry as consumers just like any other patient.
This is a propaganda piece for the “duty-to-die” crowd that wants to convince the public not to consume expensive treatments.
Wow.
The author takes a few anecdotes and kernels of truth and turns them into a sweeping argument for denying and rationing even basic health care.
Sounds like his first priority should be tort reform.
My mom was practically dead in the hospital with a heart attack and was revived several times over the course of days by CPR. We will be spending our third Christmas with her since then. She lives a full life and you’d never know she has serious heart disease.
The author takes a few anecdotes and kernels of truth and turns them into a sweeping argument for denying and rationing even basic health care.
Sounds like his first priority should be tort reform.
Wow, what an eye-opener for me.
Bump for later.
I would recommend “Vanity Fair’s” January issue with an article by Christopher Hitchens. In his terrible battle with cancer, he questions whether he would have gone to such extremes to live given the pain and horror of his present life. Sobering and upsetting.
Bookmark,Thanks for posting.
Lots to think about....