In a radio lab segment I listened to today, a doctor confessed that doctors are not very good at explaining the futile to patients and family members. The presentation also compared what most doctors would choose in the last months of life and it is 180 degrees different than what others would choose.
For example, 80 percent of doctors say no to CPR as a life-saving matter. Why? In the movies and on TV, 70 percent of those getting it survive. The reality is, only 8 percent survive. And of those, only about one third experience a good recovery.
One doctor had a practice of asking all his patients, “How do you want to die?” because it was the one inevitable situation facing everyone, and only about 10 percent of the populace plan at all.
So, how do you want to die? If you say, quick and as painless as possible, realize that is the lie we tell ourselves. The reality is (as another doctor on the program stated): We subject a dying person to procedures that would be deemed the most horrific of tortures, only to lengthen life a few days or months.
Where do most doctors want to die? Guess what – not in a hospital.
How do you want to die? It's inevitable, so why not face it?
Loren M. Lambert © February 4, 2013
For example, 80 percent of doctors say no to CPR as a life-saving matter. Why? In the movies and on TV, 70 percent of those getting it survive. The reality is, only 8 percent survive. And of those, only about one third experience a good recovery.
One doctor had a practice of asking all his patients, “How do you want to die?” because it was the one inevitable situation facing everyone, and only about 10 percent of the populace plan at all.
So, how do you want to die? If you say, quick and as painless as possible, realize that is the lie we tell ourselves. The reality is (as another doctor on the program stated): We subject a dying person to procedures that would be deemed the most horrific of tortures, only to lengthen life a few days or months.
Where do most doctors want to die? Guess what – not in a hospital.
How do you want to die? It's inevitable, so why not face it?
Loren M. Lambert © February 4, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment