“One should . . . be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.”
– F. Scott Fitzgerald
I’m in a massive ballroom with numerous tables and promotional placards lining the walls and center. In attendance are every pharmaceutical manufacturer and their sales reps. All the biggies are here; Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, and AstraZeneca, to name a few. Their drugs are household names because they advertise …
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‘This victory ensures that advance planning documents are legally enforceable and will be respected by doctors; if they are not, individuals can hold providers accountable for violating their health care decisions.”
– Greenberg decision, 2022
Dr. Gerald Greenberg was a New York dentist when in 2010, he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. In 2011, he executed a living will stating the medical staff was to provide comfort measures only and no medical …
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“Arriving at an acceptance of one’s mortality is a process, not an epiphany.”
– Atul Gawande
Imagine a group of old (mature) friends gathered for a “girls” weekend in balmy Florida. The friendships started in grammar school and have continued for the better part of 50 years. These women have met at least once a year for more than 25 years and shared life’s ups and downs. On this trip, one of …
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“Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die.”
— Nanak
Her funeral was yesterday, and there was a huge turn-out. She was 67 and never cussed or said a bad word about anyone. She was much-friended and well-loved. In late January 2022, she was diagnosed with stage-4 cancer in her lungs, which metastasized to her liver and bones. At first, some medico used the word …
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As a surrogate consultant, people often ask me for advice on the best advance directive (AD) to cover their medical and end-of-life (EOL) wishes. Unfortunately, the answer is not that simple. An AD is a “legally recognized” document usually containing a living will spelling out your preferences and treatment options when you cannot speak for yourself. It also includes the designation of a health care surrogate/proxy to follow your wishes. …
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It never ceases to amaze me that some people do not realize they have the absolute right to make their own health care choices even if everyone else thinks it’s the wrong choice. Once they recognize that every medical option is theirs to accept or reject, the effect can be liberating.
In the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 Act, this right to choose is outlined, including the right to refuse treatment, …
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