Thursday, November 29, 2012
Current Events (December)
*new* 4Dec12 Frontline on Suicide
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/suicide-plan/
3Dec12 Coffin Tours (?!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20571517#
NYTimes: Aiding the Doctor Who Feels Cancer's Toll
Doctors who care for the terminally ill may find themselves sharing their patients' pain and facing burnout from the stresses of their jobs. http://nyti.ms/TflH9F
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After reading this article the perspective of the doctor who performs futile treatment is a little easier to understand. They feel like they have to do this, otherwise they are abandoning their patient. I think the doctors need to rethink their approach. I know that if I were a terminal patient I would just want the doctor to be honest with me and tell me there is probably nothing more that can be done. That way I could face my death and not be lead on that there was a chance to still survive. This might help the Doctor too. The article described the doctor's stress and avoidance of the patient and the family. If the doctor were being honest, it probably would not be as hard to face these people. This would probably lower the stress of the doctor because he too could face the situation for what it was and would not be running from anything. I am not sure how the medical world can adapt to this modern reality, but it seems like the hospitals or universities should offer or maybe require a class that deals with this issue. This does not mean the doctor needs to refuse treatment to those who demand it and have the means to support it, but at least they might be a little more honest about their opinion to the patient to give them better information to base their decisions on.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I exactly agree with your interpretation that the doctors are not being honest with the patients, or that the article was necessarily about that either. The doctors are doing their best to address high pressure situations which are conditional and vary based on the circumstances surrounding the case. It's an art form, and the straight-forward approach that works on one patient may not work on another. If the article calls for anything, its that the physicians be honest with themselves about what should be done for the patient's well-being.
DeleteThe article did state that doctors should not become so detached from the world, even though they see the worst of it every day. They should make sure that every patient is treated as a person and not simply a part of the routine. From what I could gather from the article, the best thing for a doctor to do is to develop a relationship with the patient and attempt to empathize with them. Death is an experience, not simply a routine.
I still don't quite understand the correlation to Obama Care, and would like to not jump to any conclusions of my own. If someone has any knowledge on this (mentioned towards the end of the first section) would you mind commenting?
The coffin thing was slightly ridiculous in my own opinion as when you are dead, you'll have no perception of your surroundings. I do understand though how some may very well find it therapeutic. It could end up helping people cope with the reality of their own mortality, and in that regard, it is a good thing. I would try to find a better rate than what the man was charging first though, because 25 dollars seemed a bit steep.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with you here. The only benefit I see from this "coffin therapy" is that it may help people come to terms with death. When you die it doesn't matter if you're buried in a coffin or in a cardboard box, because you have no perception of your surroundings. Also who really cares what the guy charges? People pay ridiculous prices for therapy every year so that they can solve their problems.
DeleteI don't know how many people have seen this. It's been all over the papers and was a truly horrible event. The sad part is that if this had not happened with a celebrity, the rest of the country might not have heard about it. How much of a role should a person's status as "celebrity" factor into the exposure of tragedies such as this one?
ReplyDeletehttp://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/jovan-belcher-kansas-city-chiefs-kills-self-suicide-kills-girlfriend-team-facility-120112
The video about Coffin Therapy is absurd and if you are reading my comment and haven't watch it, I suggest you do. There are several problems with this type of "therapy." First, when we die we will not be able to biologically process the fact that we are in a coffin. If we can experience this spiritually remains unknown but the idea of "getting used to" a coffin is beyond bizarre. I would find absolutely zero value in such an experience and on top of that, to PAY MONEY ($25) to do such is enough in itself for me to not want to do it. Also, sitting it a coffin while your still alive just seems wrong. Not necessarily immoral but that setting is intended for the deceased, so it just seems like it is not our place. I understand in its essence it is just a box, so what is the big deal, but it is the idea behind it. I know this is "supposed" to help us come to terms with dealing with death, especially our own but I feel that I would be able to assume that this would not help whatsoever. Having been to several funerals (the majority coming over the past three years) death has not gotten any easier for me to handle. I always try to think of the positive in going to a better place, but by no means am I not pretty emotional when it comes to seeing loved ones pass. This form of therapy would do nothing but waste my money and if anything, that $25 should be used on someone/something you love, or even yourself, to enjoy life even more before we die.
ReplyDeleteI loved the article about the Doctor's facing burnout and how they treat their patient in return. I can see how this can happen, because I feel as if in the short amount of time that I have been participating in clinical's I have almost felt this way. We have had a patient who was being sent to hospice, and I almost wanted to just avoid her room. I can also see it in my personal life with my Grandpa. I know that he is dying, and that it is only just time now before he passes, but instead of wanting to visit I just want to stay away. It's an internal fight I am having with myself lately because I know how much he would love to see me, I just feel hopeless knowing that I can't save him. I can only imagine having to feel this dread everyday. It's painful and it tears at a person everyday. I think the best thing that a doctor can do at this time is to use their heart. They need to put aside their minds and hands, knowing that there is nothing that will save this person, and simply use their heart and care for this person. I know this is all my Grandpa wants at this time in his life, it's just something I'm struggling to come to terms with. Caring has been and always will be the last measure of comfort for a person in their last moments of life.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your Grandpa, Annie. I had a similar situation, but I was little. I didn't get to see my grandpa before he died but once, and then I remember I was sobbing because I was scared of all the equipment. His disease and pacemaker and everything else changed him from being my Grandpa to being something else. I didn't want to see him because I was afraid he'd die as this something else. I was afraid that despite everything, my "real" grandpa couldn't be saved, and I was helpless to do anything about it. I know now that my grandpa and that something were the same, but the feeling that I should have seen that earlier and reached out to him more is still there.
DeleteIt's okay to be afraid to visit a loved one. Visit him if you can bring yourself to do it; if not, try to make sure to keep him in your thoughts and let him know that you are thinking of him. I'm sure he'll understand what you're going though.
I agree with Andy that the coffin thing is absolutely ridiculous. Doesn’t the woman who says she can come for coffin therapy after work and relax have a couch at home on which to lie on? This coffin ‘therapy’ may help people prepare for death by having them pick out their own coffin themselves rather than burdening their family with this job, but other than that how can lying in a coffin prepare you for death? When you finally do lie in a coffin at your funeral you are dead, you won’t realize that you are in a coffin and you won’t think gosh those 15 minutes of coffin therapy really prepared me for death because now lying in a coffin is not foreign to me.
ReplyDeleteHaha true, I think a couch would be more relaxing.
DeleteThink about it this way: a lot of people fear death because of the physical things that happen to the body after death. It starts decomposing, flesh sloughs off, it stiffens and relaxes, it gets bloated etc. Even though modern embalming can negate some of these effects, it's still a little disconcerting don't you think? Therefore, people often fear what will happen to their bodies after death. Even though they won't be around to experience the joys of decomposition, they certainly can picture it while they are still living.
I think the coffin therapy might work for some people, since it might help them by letting them think "Hey, this is a really nice coffin, it will protect me." or "this isn't as horrible as I thought." Then again, it could just be people who like macabre stuff. I'm not sure I would consider this "real" therapy though, seems more like a marketing ploy to get people to test out this guy's coffins.
I agree that the coffin therapy is ridiculous, but if people are willing to pay to try it out then I guess there is no harm. It is kind of amusing actually that it is of such interest to people. I'm not sure that I would go out of my way to try it out, but if the chance arose I don't know that I would pass it up either.
ReplyDeleteAnybody see that there were no murders in New York on Monday?
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/28/justice/new-york-murder-free-day/?hpt=hp_t3
http://youtu.be/__pRop8gikI
ReplyDeleteHere's an interesting story I found that is quite similar to the Trayvon Martin case from awhile back. A man opened fire on a car of teens (killing one) at a gas station after asking the teens to turn down their music and refusing. From reports the man felt threatened by the teens and thats what lead him to his actions. It is also worth mentioning that the man who killed the teen was white, while his victim was african american.
from SHAD
ReplyDeleteCurrent Events (December)
In response to Andy's post about the football player who murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself, the really sad thing is the daughter they shared. I can’t even imagine how hard it is going to be for that you girl to grow up without either of her parents, and later find out why she doesn’t have either of them. When I first heard the story it gave me chills, and the story still makes me sick to my stomach, simply because of the little girl.
I agree with Nick Jackson and Andy about the coffin thing. In my opinion the coffin is pointless considering all you will do is decompose in it. The only benefit it really has is peace of mind, that they will not just be surrounded by dirt, for family members and they person them self.
For the Old, Less sense of Whom to Trust http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/for-the-old-less-sense-of-whom-to-trust/?ref=health
ReplyDeleteIt's just crazy to think people could just "take" the elderlys money
When it comes to the coffin therapy that would honestly freak me out. Like everyone else said the that may be a way to cope with death and come to terms with it. But in my opinion, there is no use getting ready for something that you aren't even going to realize is going on.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the murder and suicide over the weekend at arrowhead stadium on saturday, my main concern is the daughter. There had to have been something else going on that hasn't come out yet in terms of details. Also, think of the coach, Romeo Crennel, who watched his young linebacker take his own life. I don't know how anyone would be able to recover from this.
The coffin therapy thing is pretty ridiculous. I mean when we die and are put in that coffin our bodies are just going to decompose. I mean charging people 25$ to do some coffin therapy stuff is pointless. But I mean if it helps people feel less afraid of death and gives them some peace of mind then by all means go for it. But it just isn't for me.
ReplyDelete