Quote:
Originally Posted by glatt
I found this article about the choices doctors make in their own healthcare at the end of their lives to be a very fascinating read.
<snip> Interesting read. |
@Glatt: That is a good read... for everyone.
I once taught a university class on medical ethics for laymen,
which had a very broad range of people attending -
from physicians to ranchers to mechanics to business exec's and parents.
The end-of-life time came up frequently, and the range of preferences was very wide.
I do remember the physicians in the class were much in line
with your article, as were several of those involved in ranching.
Death was not unfamiliar, and quality of life decisions were very important for them.
I got a kick out of one person's response at the other end of that spectrum.
Her response was an emphatic: "Keep me going no matter what! "
She was an executive in a company that made kidney dialysis equipment.
By the end of the class, there had been many intimate discussions, and we felt we knew a lot about one another.
Some of the debates were quite vigorous... religion, money, legal liabilities, suffering...
But I felt there was always respect for each person's thoughts and feelings.
At the last class meeting, I provided copies of (Oregon's) Living Will and Advance Directive.
I think everyone took copies for themselves and their families.
So even the lady above could have made her wishes known confidentially to her family,
which is one of the most important things about end of life decisions.
Children, in particular, need to know the wishes of their parents.