I sat down to the breakfast table this morning with two waffles topped with butter, blueberries and syrup. The cranberry juice was straight-out-of-the-fridge cold. Ahhh… Life is good.
I opened the front section of the Chicago Tribune, perusing page-by-page until I arrived to the Letters to the Editor section. Hmm… The debate over end-of-life discussions has hit the Opinion page.
The catalyst was an opinion pieced printed the week before, written by Anne Moore, who believes our fears of dying drain dollars needlessly from the health care system. She advocates that we discuss how we want to die and then die just that way (simply, lovingly, surrounded by family). “In a study of terminally ill patients,” she writes, “one group received preventive care until death. The other group chose to be treated for pain with drugs, typically morphine, in a hospice setting. Which group lived longer? Patients treated only for pain lived 29 days more.”
I read through some of the responding letters but stopped, open-mouthed, dumb-founded, when I read one letter from a neurologist. Dr. Wasserman wrote that, as a neurologist, he is experienced with end-of-life care. As such, he objects heartily to Ms. Moore’s opinions. He refers to Hospice as “God’s waiting room.” (I think if we would ask God, He (or She) would call Hospice His (or Her) Good Work). Dr. Waserman writes, “as a doctor I feel compelled to do everything possible to maintain life, and if anything to err on the side of life rather than death. I hope there are enough of us to protest acceptance of end-of-life committees to plan our deaths.”
ARGH! Thank goodness I had finished my breakfast before reading his nonsense.
And, it is nonsense. Consider that, with Hospice services, about 75.9% of patients die in their residence (whatever that may be). Without, 50% die in an acute care facility (hospital). Hospice benefits are available for the last six months of an individual’s life. Unfortunately, most patients and their families only use Hospice for 59 days. And, that’s too bad.
I believe it’s often because of physicians like Dr. Wasserman. When I worked in nursing homes, we provided Hospice services to residents. The biggest barrier to residents’ usage of the service? Physicians. Doctors were just too cowardly to be honest and truthful with the residents and their families. And, that’s really unfortunate. The truth sets us free.
The Dr. Wassermans are why family members hold onto a cure when hope (hope for a loving death) is what’s needed. The Dr. Wassermans are why families misunderstand the point and purpose of Hospice and pass on the opportunity to provide the most comfortable and pain-free months for a family member prior to death. The Dr. Wassermans add to regrets after death rather than create the true healing (of relationships, heartaches, hurts) during life. When we know we are dying, we let the true healing begin.
Please hear my plaintiff plea today. It’s terrific to discuss your end-of-life care wishes with your family. Then, it’s awesome to discuss those same wishes with your health care providers so that your wishes come true. Discover that those health care providers can’t abide by your wishes (or a family member’s)? Get another. Physicians like Dr. Wasserman are motivated by a political belief and not an Hippocratic Oath. You, and your family, deserve better.
It’s just absolutely wonderful when Hospice provides the foundation for a terrific send-out for a family member. End-of-life care discussions are a true gift. Please continue to give and receive them. Truly, done correctly, death can be good.
Thank you for a well thought out response!! My daughter worked for a hospice group as a social worker and it was the best thing she could have ever done. I read Dr. Elizabeth Kulber-Ross and had the opportunity to hear her speak at the University of North Alabama In Florence, AL long before there was such a movement in our area. (Early 1979′s). My own brother-in-law was kept on life support long after his body had deteriorted to such an extent that even the funeral director/embalmer told my husband he had beenkept alive too long. And I know why too. The doctor reponsible for this terrible deed needed the money. Not long after my brother-in-law died, this doctor was in the local paper with property being foreclosed on. I thought then and still do until this day, he did it for the money not for the hope that he would live. These so called ” death panels” are a hoax being perpetuated on the elderly to scare them and it’s such a shame and a sham. Keep on writing for good health care for all of us.
Hi Barbara–What an upsetting and frustrating story about your brother-in-law. UGH!! Thanks for taking the time to share–I so appreciate it. This is such an important issue; it’s critical we keep focused on the true priority: quality care at end of life.
What? God can only bring one person home at a time? So there is a need for a waiting room? Seems like a God would have a better plan than that.
Thank you Denise for reminding us that death is a natural part of life. A discussion with our physician and healthcare providers about our end-of-life desires seems imperative to me. If the discussion is as simple as “let God decide” so be it. But how have we let ‘having a conversation’ turn so controversial? Each of us certainly has an opinion and viewpoint about end of life. The controversary stems from the fear that someone else’s viewpoint will be forced on us. Aren’t we in greater danger of that happening if the conversation with the physician doesn’t happen?
Hi Janis–Oh, you gave me a chuckle. I just don’t understand the controversy–it really is perplexing to me. I totally agree with you–our best defense (dying our way) is a good offense (talking about dying our way).
Denise –
Thank you so much for your response to the whole issue of “death panels” and appropriate use of hospice care. Having worked in the hospice field for 20 years, I heartily agree with all of your points. Those discussions with family and health care providers, before the decisions need to be made, are so important.
Hi Nancy–Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s so important that we share our knowledge; it helps lessen the fear.