How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
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How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
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Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#2[deleted]
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#3This doctor clearly has a vision for how he feels end of life should be, and then implies all (most) doctors share this and non-doctors should follow and doctors should be more vocal about the implied belief.
I'm a bit warey of his assertion that all doctors think the same way as him though. He relies pretty heavily on his experience and a few anecdotes. I wonder if there is any actual data on how doctors view "futile" care and end of life.
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#4Related and very interesting read: https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/07/17/who-by-very-slow-decay...
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#5This doctor clearly has a vision for how he feels end of life should be, and then implies all (most) doctors share this and non-doctors should follow and doctors should be more vocal about the implied belief. I'm a bit warey of his assertion that all doctors think the same way as him though. He relies pretty heavily on his experience and a few anecdotes. I wonder if there is any actual data on how doctors view "futil…
Here’s some actual data:
“Most physicians would forgo aggressive treatment for themselves at the end of life, study finds” https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2014/05/most-physicia...
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#6This is a pretty popular topic, and discussed previously:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3313570 (2011)
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5104430 (2013)
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#7Related and very interesting read: https://slatestarcodex.com/2013/07/17/who-by-very-slow-decay...
Far, far, far down in the blog post at section III., the author says this:
> I (and the doctors in my family whom I’ve asked) am pretty much like the doctors in the article. If I get a terminal disease, I want to wring what I can out of the few months of life I have left and totally avoid any surgery, chemotherapy, amputations, ventilators, and the like. It would be a clean death. It would be okay.
> My big fear, though, is that I won’t get a terminal disease.
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#8Several of my grandparents spent way too long in ICU and hospice care and ultimately it wasn't worth it. I feel terrible about how their final days went, but other family members were adamant about 'throwing everything they could at it.'
But the family members making that choice weren't footing the bill and they didn't have to lay in bed all day, so why wouldn't they try? I also feel they had a gross misunderstanding of the capabilities of modern medicine.
In each case the doctor's asked, "do you want to give him/her a fighting chance?" Of course, no one wants to say 'no' to that question, because they don't really understand what's possible and don't understand what "winning" actually looks like.
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#9Several of my grandparents spent way too long in ICU and hospice care and ultimately it wasn't worth it. I feel terrible about how their final days went, but other family members were adamant about 'throwing everything they could at it.' But the family members making that choice weren't footing the bill and they didn't have to lay in bed all day, so why wouldn't they try? I also feel they had a gross misunderstanding…
> In each case the doctor's asked, "do you want to give him/her a fighting chance?" Of course, no one wants to say 'no' to that question, because they don't really understand what's possible and don't understand what "winning" actually looks like.
Right, and people don't generally think to ask those questions because, at that point, they're not in an emotional state that is conducive to stopping and asking questions. That said, the phrase "fighting chance" is absolutely terrible here. It's far too loaded to convey what would actually be meant here.
Re: How Doctors die. It’s not like the rest of us (2016)
#10My mom struggled with lung cancer for two terrible years with cutting edge treatment, and died badly. My dad cared for her through that, and when his turn came five years later, he had no doubts. He refused all but palliative care and died in two months. What he saw once, a physician will see over and over ad nauseam. Having seen one of each, I'm not conflicted over which path I'd take.