I just finished reading a Nurse's Story by Tilda Shalof. It was full of heart-breaking stories of families forced to give up on their critically-ill patients, all told from the perspective of the medical professionals. It reminded me too much of my dad's final days, when, given a choice between taking all measures necessary to prolong his life and quietly letting him go, we chose the latter. We did it for him--if I had been making the decision based on what I wanted, I would have kept him around, in the hopes that if he had the chance to beat his cancer, he could. But although he was incredibly brave, he didn't want to fight. He wanted to live his last days in peace. Note: The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or substitute for professional care. For medical emergencies, dial 911!
Posts with tag GivingUp
Thought for the Day: Life and death decisions
I just finished reading a Nurse's Story by Tilda Shalof. It was full of heart-breaking stories of families forced to give up on their critically-ill patients, all told from the perspective of the medical professionals. It reminded me too much of my dad's final days, when, given a choice between taking all measures necessary to prolong his life and quietly letting him go, we chose the latter. We did it for him--if I had been making the decision based on what I wanted, I would have kept him around, in the hopes that if he had the chance to beat his cancer, he could. But although he was incredibly brave, he didn't want to fight. He wanted to live his last days in peace. Continue reading Thought for the Day: Life and death decisions
