I've been perplexed about the "Deathers" and the right-wing fascination with end-of-life "Death Panels". I've been thinking that there is more to it than fear-mongering. Although the anti-healthcare reform leaders (a.k.a. Insurance Industry) have no qualms about inciting that fear.
Today's Abbreviated Pundit Roundup, pointed me to Kathleen Parker's WaPo editorial on the issue. Parker's concern trolling on the issue really pissed me off.
Find out why, below the fold....
Parker's comment:
"But we can also imagine a scenario when, feeble and ill, we might be subtly urged to forgo further life-sustaining treatment out of consideration for others. Given that "actionable medical orders" can be formulated from advance care consultations, the danger is that life-sustaining care would be precluded based on a check-mark on a document you signed five years earlier. "
It brought back memories of my own parents end-of-life experiences and how my family had to fight for my mother's stated wishes that she not have her life continued via artificial means, in the case of terminal illness. In her case, we had to fight to get the system to honor her "check-mark" on the document she signed years earlier!
That experience convinced me that there are Right-wing, Conservative "christians" (quotes and lower case intentional, as I consider myself a Christian), who oppose the idea of people refusing medical treatment in these situations.
And I think the "Deathers" fear of the end-of-life counseling provisions, is what is driving the "Death Panel" hysteria.
Both of my parents died in the last decade, within 6 months of each other. Both had dramatically different end-of life experiences. They both had thoughtfully considered end-of-life issues. Both had Health Care Proxies, naming my oldest sister to make care decisions for them if they were unable. And both had living wills, with explicit instructions on when they would not want extraordinary measures taken or artificial life support used.
Dad passing was straight forward, although tragic. He had prostate cancer, that by the time he went to the doctor, had metasized, then spread through his body. When he was told that there was nothing medical science could do for him, he was able to make his own decisions. No hospital for him. It was home and hospice care.
Sidebar: Kos Men.
When your doctors start recommending you receive prostate exams, please don't fight or ignore them. I get my annual physical exam, I always get mine checked. It's not that bad, although uncomfortable. It's over quickly. I prepare myself by replaying, in my head, the Chevy Chase scene from "Fletch" :-)
Trust me, the exam is much better than the end result of undiagnosed prostate cancer. I know, I've sat the bedside :-(
Mom's experience was different. After Dad's passing, she moved into an Assisted Living Facility, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Church. (Both of my parents were devote RC's their entire lives.) When she moved in, copies of all her documents, HC Proxy, Living Will, Will, Power of Attorney, etc., were all placed on file at the facility. We were told that if Mom needed to be taken out to a medical facility via ambulance, her complete file would go with her.
6 months later, she developed Pneumonia, and had breathing difficulties. The Ambulance came, and as promised the file went with her. Well, almost all of the file went.
One page, from her Living Will, was missing. The missing page was the one containing the explicit directions to medical providers concerning her wishes on not receiving artificial life support in case there was no hope of her survival.
I believe, but have no proof, that a "all-life-is-sacred" right wing nutjob on the Assisted Living staff, intentionally removed my mother's end-of-life wishes from her file!
Mom's condition worsened rapidly (she had many health issues at the time). Fluid in the lungs. Congestive Heart Failure, she was given morphine. Doctors could not control the infection nor stop the fluid build up. All this time we had no idea the vital page was missing from the hospital's files.
So the Doctor, lacking explicit directions in the Living Will, asked Mom, while in a morphine induced haze, if she wanted a breathing tube inserted to help her breath. Confused, alone, and semi-conscious Mom answered, "yes". Fortunately, an Patient Advocate was in the ICU at the time and convinced the doctor to wait until my sister could be consulted. That's when we discovered the missing page. I was able to produce my copy of the Living Will. The doctor (whom I do not hold at fault in the least, BTW), then wanted Mom to explicitly tell him her wishes. So she was removed from morphine, and was lucid enough to to discuss her condition with the Doctor. No medicine was working on the infection, the treatment could stop the fluid build up, her heart was already damaged, and the breathing tube would not prevent congestive heart failure. She confirmed her living will wishes that if the breathing tube was to be inserted only to keep her alive longer, but could not eventually prevent death, then she didn't want it. She was moved to the hospice wing and passed about 36 hours later, peacefully.
At the time, I was upset that we went through the aggravation of the missing page. But I chalked it up to incompetence. It was only several years later, during the Terri Schiavo fiasco, that I realized that that there were many "all-life-is-sacred" wing-nuts, who oppose letting people go!
It was then, that the thought first crossed my mind, that somebody on the Assisted Living staff intentionally removed the page containing Mom's "DNR and no-artificial means" page. Somebody intentionally interfered with my Mom's end-of-life decisions. I've been pissed about it ever since.
So, IMHO, that's why some people are fighting Healthcare Reform with the "Death Panel" scare tactic. They're not afraid of death panels, they're afraid more people will be thoughtfully considering end-of-live issues ahead of time. That they will choose spending their last days, if possible, in peace and dignity, surrounded with family and friends, and comfortable surroundings.
The "All-life-is-sacred" crowd is fighting this part of healthcare reform, because they don't want anybody to have access to end-of-life counseling, because "to religious people, life is sacred and sanctified and there’s a sense they feel it’s their duty and obligation to stay alive as long as possible."
Of course, its fine with me, if some individual wants to take that approach with their own life. But don't try to deny my Mom her right to die with dignity. And, to try to enforce your "morality" on the rest of us!
Screw you, Deathers!
jj
P.S. I've got my living will, PoA, and Healthcare Proxy written. How about you?