A silly little blog for me to drop the excrement of my mind.
Published on July 12, 2005 By BlueDev In Life Journals
"A time to live, and a time to die"

Death fascinates us. Every art form has obsessed over the subject. Entire religions and belief systems center around the concept of death.

But we run from it at every turn.

Not everyone, of course. Some spend their entire lives running headlong toward it, often unwittingly. But it is inevitable. It will come for us all, whether we care or not, whether we are prepared or not. And lately I have seen more than my fair share.

When your life centers around sickness you would think death would just be sort of a given. But it isn't. In fact I honestly think that you can get an even more distorted perspective on death, doing what I do. I believe it is born out of, time after time, seeing death be pushed to the side. You start to forget how real death is when, in spite of every scientific cell in my body telling me it is time for someone to die, that their physical shell simply cannot support life anymore, patients suddenly 'get better'.

And that is what we do, after all. We hold off death. Sometimes even when we probably shouldn't.

I have learned a lot lately about what it means to 'do no harm'. Sometimes you need to recognize that technology and knowledge have reached their impressive limits. Sometimes you need to do your best to help a patient understand that when you say there is nothing more we can do, that you truly mean it.

That it is true doesn't make it any easier. But I am really starting to learn that being a good doctor doesn't mean you treat a disease. It means you treat a person. And sometimes the best treatment is a hand on a shoulder, a sincere, kind word, and a final goodbye."

Comments (Page 2)
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on Jul 14, 2005
Blue Dev, please don't judge me on that incident, and please don't judge me on what dharma says...it seems she has a 'vendetta')or whatever) against me...my thoughts on that incident is, yes, what i did was wrong, but, i apologized, and it is over, time to move forward... but, its up to you...whatever you decide...
on Jul 14, 2005
I'd take the "poor old grandma" tale with a grain of salt. Maybe 2


--Check my poem 'GRANDMOTHER' on my blog...
on Jul 14, 2005
Link

--This is the link...
on Jul 14, 2005
Check my poem 'GRANDMOTHER' on my blog...


That doesn't mean diddly squat. You could have written that months ago...or again, it could be another of your fabrications. For all we know you might not even have a grandmother.

You screwed yourself, Lucas. No-one believes a word you say.
on Jul 14, 2005
Mary Lou Bailey (Gray)
B; 10/28/22
D: February 17th, 1999
Born in San Francisco California, Died in Klamath Falls Oregon, (don't know SS# other wise i would provide it, you can search it)

---I've been beating it so far...its difficult, but i am sorry you think that way dharma...still consider you a good acquaintance on JU...(that is you would rather not associate with me)
on Jul 14, 2005
All right. Stop it and stop it now. This blog was not meant to be a bash on anyone. I appreciate the notice that someone might not be 100% trustworthy, but I simply don't want this blog to become a proving ground for malcontent.

I will let the current posts stand, but if I see another that doesn't deal with the subject I will delete it posthaste and leave in its place a notice that a post was deleted.

Anyone and everyone is welcome here in my blog (the BL is and has been clean for months now) until the prove they don't want to be allowed here. But I don't want this to become a garden for bash-berries, unless it has to do with the discussion.

Thanks.
on Jul 14, 2005
My apologies, Dev.

I think that we humans have convinced ourselves that we are invincible, especially with all the advances that have been made in medicines and surgeries in the past 50 or so years. It wasn't so very long ago that people were dying from infections that can be cured with a 10 day course of anti-biotics these days. We can take body parts and transplant them, we can deliver infants 4 months early - all with pretty good sucess and no-long term harm. In that respect, we DO brush death off.

I'm a firm believer that death is a natural part of the cycle we all go through, and as such we should embrace it. Instead we tend to keep it in dark corners and only talk about it when we absolutely have to.

I totally agree with your sentiments about human touch too. It's incredibly important and very underestimated.
on Jul 14, 2005
Thanks for the contribution dharma.

I don't look forward with excitement the moment of my death, but I won't be running from it too extensively. We really have made amazing progress in saving and extending life. But I believe firmly that doctors can have a powerful and very healing role in supporting a patient's desire to die. I even believe that we can (and should) be honest about options, but teach patients that sometimes everything we can do is too much. Sometimes kindly, compassionately letting a patient and their family know that the very best you feel you can do for them is make them comfortable with what time they have left.

It has been humbling to see and be a part of end of life care.
on Jul 14, 2005
" have learned a lot lately about what it means to 'do no harm'. Sometimes you need to recognize that technology and knowledge have reached their impressive limits. Sometimes you need to do your best to help a patient understand that when you say there is nothing more we can do, that you truly mean it.

That it is true doesn't make it any easier. But I am really starting to learn that being a good doctor doesn't mean you treat a disease. It means you treat a person. And sometimes the best treatment is a hand on a shoulder, a sincere, kind word, and a final goodbye." "



I definately agree with you here and find this pretty profound. Sometimes all you can do is let go. Even when it's really hard to do so. Having been down that road myself in the past, it's one of the hardest thing anyone can do. I'm glad there are caring docs like you out there.




And Peter, just a comment that what Dharma and Whip were saying is understandable for them to be bitter because of the tricks played by Lucas on everyone and who knows what to think anymore.
on Jul 14, 2005
And Peter, just a comment that what Dharma and Whip were saying is understandable for them to be bitter because of the tricks played by Lucas on everyone and who knows what to think anymore.


I don't doubt that they have good reason. I don't begrudge them feeling bitter, nor am I upset. I just wanted it known I didn't want it here. I am not siding with either, just didn't think the comments were germane to the subject.

Not upset, just setting up the rules.
on Jul 14, 2005
Pete,

So good to see you back blogging, mate. I missed ya...

Your perspective on death is really interesting. I've wondered how those in the medical profession think about death. My personal beliefs are based on Buddhist philosophies. As Dharma said:

I'm a firm believer that death is a natural part of the cycle we all go through, and as such we should embrace it


I believe a great doctor is someone who recognises...

Sometimes kindly, compassionately letting a patient and their family know that the very best you feel you can do for them is make them comfortable with what time they have left


So what is your take on euthanasia (I mean from a purely medical point of view).

Cheers,

Maso
on Jul 14, 2005
So what is your take on euthanasia (I mean from a purely medical point of view).


I have to be against them, both from a personal, moral point of view, as well as a medical ethicist point of view. This is something I have thought to blog about many times, and perhaps now I just might. To be succinct, both euthanasia and physician assisted suicide are 'treatments' for terminal illness. And deciding to whom you offer those as treatments involves making judgement statements about individual person's illness, something every medical ethics committee in the US has firmly spoken out against. Triage is one thing, judgement statements are another.

I fully support hospice though. I wish more patients and their families were well educated about hospice.
on Jul 15, 2005
This is something I have thought to blog about many times, and perhaps now I just might.


I, for one, would be very interested in reading an article such as this. The ethical question is huge, of course, as is the moral one. I think, in some instances, there is probably a case for voluntary euthanasic, particularly with debilitating, protracted illnesses. But there are so many variables, it is hard to think about.

I like the idea of hospices. At least it provides the patiend with a modicum of dignity.

Have a great weekend.

Cheers,

Maso
on Jul 15, 2005
This is something I have thought to blog about many times, and perhaps now I just might.


I, for one, would be very interested in reading an article such as this. The ethical question is huge, of course, as is the moral one. I think, in some instances, there is probably a case for voluntary euthanasic, particularly with debilitating, protracted illnesses. But there are so many variables, it is hard to think about.

I like the idea of hospices. At least it provides the patiend with a modicum of dignity.

Have a great weekend.

Cheers,

Maso


Yeah, for those that can afford them. My mother-in-law couldn't.
on Jul 15, 2005
I apologize for my part Dev...no hard feelings?
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