Aging and death are inevitable but taboo processes in life. Regarding these two issues, Indian-American surgeon Atul Gawande shared some real examples he saw in the hospital in his book "The Last Farewell", which I believe will arouse everyone's excitement.
I like this book because Atul Gawande, as a doctor, can speak for patients from the perspective of ordinary people and patients, instead of being a cold medical worker who speaks for medicine and medicine. Speak up in defense of doctors.
Such a responsible and noble doctor deserves our respect and praise.
We must admit that no matter how living conditions improve and medicine develops, our bodies will experience muscle relaxation after the age of 40, bone density will decrease by 1% after the age of 50, and teeth will begin to fall after the age of 60. , the brain shrank significantly at the age of 70.
At the age of 80, muscle mass is significantly reduced and teeth are lost. With the sharp decline of memory and the decline of thinking ability, after the age of 80, 40% of the elderly are troubled by Alzheimer's disease and lack enough Self-care ability.
With the development of modern medicine, long-lived elderly people are expanding our society at a rapid rate, and our country has entered a serious aging process. The reason for this is that in addition to sufficient nutrition brought by material life, people have also mastered the In addition to scientific health-preserving methods improving the probability of longevity, medicine also plays an immeasurable role in the treatment and intervention of general diseases.
In fact, human aging is like a machine. The body's organs naturally wear out. Day after day wear and tear will inevitably wear away our skin. No matter how healthy people are, they will also grow old, and as we age, It's not far away from us, it seems like it's just a day or a moment.
You will suddenly feel that there is something wrong with your body, your memory is declining, your body is not flexible, and your speech is not as loud and powerful as before. This is the beginning of aging.
To a large extent, the extension of human life can be attributed to medicine. Diseases such as appendicitis, which may have caused death in the past, can be easily solved by modern medicine.
For some difficult diseases or terminal patients, medicine is still powerless. Once some diseases occur, there is no chance of cure. It is actually not advisable for doctors, hospitals, and patients’ families to subjectively extend the patient’s life. of.
With the increase of aging and the increasing pressure on children’s lives, the issue of old-age care has become an inevitable social issue. The elderly need family companionship and warmth. They like to nostalgic and reminisce about the past. In fact, only the relaxed atmosphere of the family can help the elderly live a peaceful life, be in a happy mood, and make them feel the warmth of family affection.
Some children whose children are not around all year round and the elderly lack sufficient ability to take care of themselves can only be sent to nursing homes. Nursing homes strictly implement nutritional standards for the health of the elderly, and they carry out index management of the elderly's health.
The development of medical treatment has probably gone through three stages. At first, due to poverty and backward medical conditions, most patients did not receive necessary treatment and would die at home.
With the improvement of living standards and the improvement of medical conditions, people have more possibilities to seek medical treatment. In addition to treating general diseases, hospitals will also treat some terminal patients according to the wishes of their relatives to prolong their lives. Or the treatment plan proposed by the doctor is inappropriate, and the patient eventually dies in the hospital.
In recent years, people have become more concerned about the quality of life. In the face of ruthless diseases, people have begun to acknowledge the powerlessness of human beings. Some terminally ill patients will choose to spend the last days of their lives at home after communicating with their families.
How do we gracefully cross the end of life? Most people lack a clear concept of this and simply leave their destiny to the control of medicine, technology and strangers.
People are knives and servants, and I am fish and meat. Whenever I think of surgery, I feel that the patient at this time is actually a piece of meat placed on the chopping board, ready to be slaughtered.
In this book, Dr. Atu tells a real case of his father. His father suffered from spinal cancer. The doctor gave two suggestions. One is to be hospitalized immediately for treatment, and the other is to feel uncomfortable. Medical intervention is required when treatment is needed.
Dr. Atu could not make up his mind. He objectively analyzed the condition through conversations with his father, and finally his father made a decision and adopted the second option. Facts have proved that their choice was right. Atul's father fell ill again four years later and was admitted to the hospital.
If he had received treatment from the beginning, he might have become too weak due to frequent radiotherapy and chemotherapy and would not be able to enjoy a high quality of life.
Atul’s father passed away one afternoon. He carefully looked at the photos of his grandson. When he was in a coma, his wife and son were with him, holding his hands, and his son was also beside him. As an escort, we can imagine that at the moment he left, he felt extremely peaceful. Isn't this a blessing?
Choosing to die with dignity does not mean shirking responsibility or preparing to abandon patients, but allows people to cherish their last days and live the way they want.
Text: Cat Feces Coffee Box
About the author: A warm-hearted woman who loves calligraphy and reading, looking forward to meeting you unexpectedly.