I feel compelled to respond to Edmond Day’s April 30 letter regarding hospice care. Our family lost our mom a couple weeks ago, so this is still quite fresh and we all feel so blessed to have had Schenectady Hospice guide us through over a year of very uncertain and scary times. Our two brothers tended to mom’s every need until it became an impossible task. How dare Mr. Day insinuate that children are not responsible and someone else does the “dirty work”? Our family was fortunate to have a physician suggest hospice care. Our mom, being very frail but incredibly independent, wanted to die in her own home. The girls from hospice were nothing but professional, with a compassion that went above and beyond not only for mom but also the rest of the family. Our mom was treated with a caring respect and tenderness that at times brought tears to our eyes. Mom grew to love these “angels of mercy,” and so did we. Mom died without fear and with the dignity she so deserved because of hospice, not in spite of it.
Writer couldn’t have been more wrong about hospice care
Re April 30 letter, “What hospice does, and doesn’t, tell you”: I am sorry Edmond Day has such a low opinion of hospice. His letter repeats the “death panel” rhetoric of last year, yet he seems to lack direct experience with this wonderful organization. Ironically, his letter appeared in the same issue of the Gazette as the obituary for a man who I recently visited as a hospice volunteer. I was introduced to hospice services when my father died in 2004. Four years earlier, my mother died of cancer, too, but she did not have hospice care. Her physician, who lied about her prognosis, did not dare use the dreaded “H” word, and so she died violently, alone and terrified, in a hospital. My father’s experience with hospice was the complete opposite. He spent his fi nal days in a beautiful room at a hospice facility that looked like a bedroom, with his favorite Frank Sinatra playing in the background as my sister and I made peace with him. A hospice volunteer comforted us during those frightening days, told us what to expect, and what to do. And so I signed on, as soon as I was allowed, as a volunteer with Community Hospice of Schenectady. All of us, volunteers and employees alike, receive extensive and continuing training and education in end-of-life issues. On the day that Mr. Day was likely sending his anti-hospice tirade to the Gazette, I was telling the adult daughter of my patient exactly what the volunteer seven years ago had told me — what might happen, and to keep talking to her father, for he could hear her. Is that having “an air of authority about myself,” as Mr. Day stated? Perhaps. But I was very glad to have an authoritative volunteer help me. She had been in the situation many times; it was new to me, and I was scared. Unfortunately the “death panel” rhetoric has turned some people away from hospice, not realizing that they are denying their loved ones not only emotional support, but the various free health services that come with it. Mr. Day was so wrong to say that our mantra is “you are going to die.” Everyone is going to die. I direct him to http://www.communityhospice.org for the real mantra: “Community Hospice provides expert care to those who are very ill with any disease, plus we offer help and support for their families. We show patients and their loved ones how to focus on the things that matter most, and we encourage them to set goals and embrace life.”
My father’s experience with hospice was the complete opposite. He spent his fi nal days in a beautiful room at a hospice facility that looked like a bedroom, with his favorite Frank Sinatra playing in the background as my sister and I made peace with him. A hospice volunteer comforted us during those frightening days, told us what to expect, and what to do. And so I signed on, as soon as I was allowed, as a volunteer with Community Hospice of Schenectady. All of us, volunteers and employees alike, receive extensive and continuing training and education in end-of-life issues.
what did the world do before hospice? holy crap......oh that's right we hired 'wailers'.......since when is it frightening?.....it's normal and a paid service(we pay)... you dont need to have a service 'teach' about death and grieving....it's normal....it isn't a ride in a park or a fishing trip or a vacation....if you want someone/thing to give you an illusion then by all means be my guest....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
I remember before Hospice. I went to visit a woman who was dying from lung cancer. Her condition was advanced and her death was eminent. For weeks that woman lived from one morphine shot to the next. State law regulated the dosage and the time between shots to prevent addiction (not a problem in her case). She spent her last months, and died in extreme pain. Yea, I remember before Hospice.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
She spent her last months, and died in extreme pain. Yea, I remember before Hospice.
I always wondered how people that haven't died can empathize with somebody that has...How do people know a person dies in "extreme pain"? Maybe they should have Hospice for the late term abortion fetus. A little morphine before they start tearing the limbs off the baby could ease the pain.
I always wondered how people that haven't died can empathize with somebody that has...How do people know a person dies in "extreme pain"?
I'll tell you how I could tell that this woman was in pain... By the way she was swearing, screaming, shouting, hollering and crying for a shot of anything to relieve her pain, that's how.
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
I always wondered how people that haven't died can empathize with somebody that has...How do people know a person dies in "extreme pain"? Maybe they should have Hospice for the late term abortion fetus. A little morphine before they start tearing the limbs off the baby could ease the pain.
I doubt seriously that you have ever wondered how people that haven't died can ever empathize with someone that has ever died in pain. because you dont sound like you actually care . Why do you think you have anything relevant to say about hospice care- you sound like an ignorant fool and "senders" ( in the healthcare industry ? ) you dont sound like you know too much about hospice care either-
I welcome pain medication for ANYONE who is in pain. Point is........ya shouldn't need hospice to prescribe, order or administrate it. It should be between doctor and patient/family and spiritual advisor if they have or need one. I also welcome hospital beds and oxygen and anything else that is needed to make the dying/sick person comfortable in their home. But you shouldn't be forced to use hospice!!
It's just another government/insurance decision forced on folks. Hospice is just the handmaiden for the government/insurance companies. It's an unnecessary layer. imho
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I welcome pain medication for ANYONE who is in pain. Point is........ya shouldn't need hospice to prescribe, order or administrate it. It should be between doctor and patient/family and spiritual advisor if they have or need one. I also welcome hospital beds and oxygen and anything else that is needed to make the dying/sick person comfortable in their home. But you shouldn't be forced to use hospice!!
It's just another government/insurance decision forced on folks. Hospice is just the handmaiden for the government/insurance companies. It's an unnecessary layer. imho
How do you think you get the raspberry flavored morphine syringe ? what about the fentenyl ( 100 times stronger than morphine ) Know anyone that has died form prostate cancer ? It hurts Lets see what kind of regulation should we have for those drugs ? its not between dr and patient- no one told me what to do-
How do you think you get the raspberry flavored morphine syringe ? what about the fentenyl ( 100 times stronger than morphine ) Know anyone that has died form prostate cancer ? It hurts Lets see what kind of regulation should we have for those drugs ? its not between dr and patient- no one told me what to do-
Again, sombody knows not of what they speak.
A member of my household is on Fentanyl 100mcg, with supplemental lollipops as needed for breakthrough pain. Has been for >8years now. No "hospice" required, just a prescription from any licensed doctor who thinks it's medically necessary.
I'll tell you how I could tell that this woman was in pain... By the way she was swearing, screaming, shouting, hollering and crying for a shot of anything to relieve her pain, that's how.
I do the same thing every time I read one of your posts. I guess I do know what a painful death feels like. Thanks Box.
I do the same thing every time I read one of your posts. I guess I do know what a painful death feels like. Thanks Box.
I bet you do Cicero... THE TRUTH HURTS!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Logged
