Dying Right
The Republican “death panel” stuff is pure and simple c–p.
All of us are mortal, i.e. going to die some way. Probably the best way to go is suddenly with little or at least short-lived pain. Such usually sends one into shock which blocks the pain. Sudden death — stroke, heart failure, accident — is hard on our loved ones. But even harder is a slow dragged out death from such as cancer or MS in their final stages. Caring doctors do not prolong this process — but not all care.
I recall a couple, dear friends of ours who died quite young several years apart. His death was due to leukemia — his doctor dropped him as a patient when his insurance ran out. She developed lung cancer which was only discovered in the late stages. It spread rapidly and particularly painfully to her spine. My wife and I were startled when her family left suddenly (parents and daughters). The next day when we returned to the hospital we found her heavily sedated (unconscious) with no evidence of fluid or food support. We asked her doctor why not and he said she could have lasted quite a time. He had obviously decided it was time to let her go and she had died when we returned the next day.
Obviously now we need to let terminal patients and their families deliberate with their doctors as to whether to fight on to the bitter end or let death come. This happened with a person very dear to me. She was unconscious with blood on the brain — she had stopped talking in mid sentence when her heart and breathing suddenly stopped. This happened two more times and the doctors explained that this would repeat. It did several weeks later and she died peacefully.
The Republicans would try to block humane medicine. It is no one’s business how quickly one dies but those personally involved in consultation with their doctors.
There are right and wrong ways to die. I have seen both.
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“A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope.” (Livy cited by Machiavelli)
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Ed Kent [blind copies]
1 user commented in " Dying Right "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackI too have seen the faces of sudden-death and a lingering-death.
My father passed away 23+ years ago on the golf course playing the game he enjoyed. It was very sudden, congestive heart failure. He had aide within 5-minutes (his golfing buddy flagged a passing paramedic squad) but my father was DOA at the emergency hospital. And it was difficult on everyone in the family.
My aunt suffered through many years of breast cancer before dying of lung cancer. My uncle had an odd syndrome hit him and left him paralyzed; he lived 4-months before his life ended. And their only child, a son (age-46) died this past summer of cancer after a long fight. They all had living wills, outlining their wishes regarding their end of life.
I don’t think there is a way to die right. That everyone is different.
I too do not like the characterization of this proposal as “death panels” as the GOP has done. And the GOP is losing support from not just me but millions of independents over their fear mongering tactics like this. The supporting base is the very tiny group of right-to-life who are spear-heading the opposition.
I agree – we need to let terminal patients and their families deliberate with their doctors as to whether to fight on to the bitter end or let death come. And federal funding for the end of life action should be open-ended, taking whatever is necessary.
YES – I agree. The Republican “death panel” stuff is pure and simple c–p. It is a form of fear mongering at its worst.
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