tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post8007557204518672210..comments2023-07-20T05:30:32.466-07:00Comments on In My Humble Opinion: First, Dispense of False UncertaintyJordan Grumethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12566078305685946261noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post-35619079662663382442017-06-24T06:54:32.022-07:002017-06-24T06:54:32.022-07:00But why is giving up the only dignified option? My...But why is giving up the only dignified option? My father had stage iv lung cancer. Chemotherapy and steroids improved his quality of life, until the doctors convinced my mother to "temporarily" abandon chemo and steroids, for a surgery meant to be exploratory. He died because the doctors saw him as weak, and had no way to strengthen him (and didnt care to - all doctors want for stage four patients is a convenient death of choking pneumonia.) I will never be happy again. I can't love my newborn baby because her grandfather never met her. All to preserve some doctors idea of death with dignity. How about Life? How about trying harder to give a good man more good Days? I want to die.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post-24617928972868103842016-12-31T09:52:30.211-08:002016-12-31T09:52:30.211-08:00Well said. Doctors who avoid this conversation ma...Well said. Doctors who avoid this conversation make my job much more difficult! I cannot tell you how many people come in to do estate planning and go on to say "If I die...". As an attorney, I wish doctors would allow us to do the estate planning but tell their patients the medical facts so we can tell them the legal facts in a factual context! Many doctors refuse to diagnose Demetria also. Same problem. Thanks for your blog. Marcella Downing, Esq.Marcellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10221271019022023260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post-67021286509257645812016-12-28T01:42:45.997-08:002016-12-28T01:42:45.997-08:00Thank you for this. I've known of horrible sto...Thank you for this. I've known of horrible stories because of futile 'do this at all cost' and then the family members leave without seeing the consequence of their actions. <br /><br />I think they should be forced to stay and see what happens. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post-89437012297409515252016-12-27T17:31:23.016-08:002016-12-27T17:31:23.016-08:00Yes, and thank you. My Mom was in the final stages...Yes, and thank you. My Mom was in the final stages of Parkinson's disease. She weighed 80 pounds, was blind, could not speak, could not move, could not swallow or eat, was unaware of who, or what, was around her, was completely unable to function in any way.<br /><br />Per her advanced directive, I was able to allow my Mom to die with peace and dignity, at home, by saying a resounding "no" to the internist who suggested a feeding tube, and an equally resounding "no" the surgeon who wanted to amputate her great toe due to a wound that wouldn't heal.<br /><br />When it is my turn, I hope that my daughter or husband will have the courage to allow me to die in peace.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11076741124726221647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6296669137299786155.post-37412748017946770832016-12-26T19:46:49.585-08:002016-12-26T19:46:49.585-08:00Beautiful Doctor,
You have me in tears. This is s...Beautiful Doctor,<br /><br />You have me in tears. This is so much what our children need to hear as we reach the end of our long and wonderful lives. This is so much what our spouses need to hear as we reach the end of the long decline of terminal illness.<br /><br />I so appreciate the directness, and the bluntness of your language. As a hospital chaplain I see so many families who imagine that, after grandpa's heart has stopped because of the lung cancer crowding out his ability to breathe, CPR will somehow allow him to keep living. <br /><br />I hope when it is my turn, that the doctors will read my advance directive. And I hope they will be every bit as blunt as this.<br /><br />Thank you, so very much.<br /><br />Maggienoreply@blogger.com