*New* 22Apr12 Perhaps Joel Sparkle was right in general, just not about heroin. . .
For a small group of researchers and their patients facing death, psychedelic drugs aren’t a hippie palliative. They’re a new way to approach the most dire time of life. http://nyti.ms/JkfNTQ
16April12
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/04/dying-green-explores-conservation-through-natural-burial.html?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fanpage&utm_campaign=pbs
In countries hardest hit by the downturn, including Ireland and Italy, small-business men and entrepreneurs are increasingly taking their own lives. http://nyti.ms/IFqjpf
The first article, surrounding Dr. Billy Campbell's campaign for "greener" burial processes, entails two primary goals: to extend burial accommodations to deceased individuals and to preserve the ground in the name of ecology. Traditionally, in America, people succumb to the scientifically developed post-death processes such as embalming and caskets, only to continue their artificial impact by being buried in environment-hindering cemeteries. The new approach would obviate the artificiality associated with post-death for the person and for the cemetery, expressing "green" interests and making decisions in the name of the environment. As of late, the impact of pollution and carcinogens on the environment has emerged into light, causing the nation undergo a monumental environment-conscious movement. Applying such concern toward post-death occurrences would really classify the effort as holistic.
ReplyDeleteThe second article discusses the impact of poor economies on the suicide rate. Specifically, the article addresses suicide rates in Europe, particularly Ireland and Italy. In the article, the reader vicariously witnesses the cases of various businessmen and workers affected by the poor economy who choose to end their lives because of the apparent irreversibly depressive economic conditions. In the United States, we inarguably have a similar situation going on; since the market's crash in 2008, we have endured what economists coin "the worst economic phase since the 1930's Great Depression," leaving many people emotionally distraught. People's economic depression and lack of resources, not to mention the waning job market which leads to decreased senses of accomplishment, often leads to suicide, regardless of where the individual resides--the United States, Ireland, Italy, or wherever. People deem the economy so significant an impact on their lives that it is literally a "life-or-death" matter. It is sad to hear that suicide is a common result; however, the fact that there is attention on the suicides is positive for those who could become victims and the overall awareness scope.
I found the first article, "Six Feet Under Can Be Green For Eternity" to be extremely interesting. After reading this article, the idea of a green burial to preserve the environment seems to be an obvious step toward saving the Earth from development and contamination. Dr. Campbell's method of natural burial allows for one's body to be recycled back into the Earth, an appeal to those in support of the green movement! As a biology major, this concept of natural burial is very attractive to me. However, I was born and raised in Batesville, IN (for those who do not know, Batesville is a very small town in southeastern IN and the headquarters of the Batesville Casket Company, the nation's leading casket maker). The company promotes the opportunity to honor the life of a loved one. Although this seems materialistic, the idea of honoring the deceased through an ornate casket or urn, it is fitting. After all, throughout history people's tombs have been constructed as an elaborate memorial to honor the person. Yet I believe that any method of burial is appropriate if it follows the wishes of the deceased. For me, this article left me unsure of my burial wishes. I believe that a natural burial is a wonderful idea that is in alignment with many of my personal beliefs concerning conservation of the planet. However I can't help but feel a sense of "hometown loyalty" to a company that has done so much for its community.
ReplyDeleteThe artcile about administering drugs to end the fear of "when" was interesting. Having to worry about "is this my last day" every single day would become overbearing and consuming. By giving these patient an opportunity to defer their mind from the single thought of death seems fair enough. I feel like this drug is not necessarily killing them faster, but possible making there last days more enjoyable. In this sense, it makes quality of life better. If the research continues and they can successfully adminster this type of drug use, it might not necessairly be bad.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty amazing to think that a doctor had the idea of trying illegal drugs to relieve someones stress about dying. It does make sense that it would relax them more. What I would be interested to see was the negative effects it could also have on the patient. I suppose that a doctor came up with this idea thinking that its not really going to hurt anything if it does speed up the dying process. But if it is helping people, then I feel they should continue to do this process. Like they said, Sakuda lived 4 years when she was only given 14 months.
ReplyDeleteI came across this article a few days ago (http://www.newscientist.com/special/human-nature?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news) where anthropologists say they have identified characteristics shared by all people everywhere. The article points out that an invading alien would have no trouble categorising us but, since we are so close to our subject matter, we really struggle to pin the characteristics of human nature. One of the characteristics is that humans are very playful. Nearly all animals play but there are really no other species engaged in such a wide variety of entertainment and activities as we are. Humans are also extremely scientific. In nearly every aspect of our lives we constantly are sorting the world into categories and forming and testing predictions on how things work. Even when it comes to eating we tend to make an event of it. Where other animals just simply eat in order to survive we turn it into a meal and a social event.
ReplyDeleteAdministering drugs of any kind at the end of death is somewhat of a double-edged sword, a perfect example of the double effect. While it is great that patients are relieved of the worry of when exactly they are going to die, but they are still going to die. These drugs might make death occur faster, they might not. More research needs to be done to prove these questions right or wrong. When all is said and done, INTENT is the primary point of focus. Drugs of this kind can be administered at any time, but only if they are planend to help the patient and not further the process of death. It might do this, but the intent should not be this!
ReplyDeleteJust another current event!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Driver-in-Deadly-Hit-and-Run-Thought-Terrace-Park/GenWKT6Mt0K6lW8JtF6XDA.cspx
As many of you might remember, Collin Barton is the son of my dad's coworker, Sean. Back in March, Collin was walking home from a party in the middle of the night. The problem was, he never made it home. He was missing from early Sunday morning, March 18, until his body was found on Tuesday afternoon, March 20. He was found next to Wooster Road, on the opposite side of the guard rail. This further proved the idea that he was walking home. Later that day, a report was released that a man had reported late Sunday afternoon that he had hit a deer. Apparently, the police went out to survey the area but found no deer, they didn't find Colin either. This man turned himself in later on Tuesday and was interviewed by the police. It has now come out in the last couple of weeks that Collin was in fact hit and killed by this car. Charges are pending because the driver admitted to falling asleep at the wheel. I am resurfacing this story because Collin's memorial service is finally being held this Saturday, April 28, almost six weeks after the incident.
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Park-Shelter-To-Be-Built-In-Honor-of-Teen-Hit-
and/0i074VYd7UuiiOAVoZVBVQ.cspx
This story serves as a reminder to make good choices, a good fit for this class :)
I came across this article which really incorporates some of the many themes and topics we have discussed throughout this course.
ReplyDeleteThe article tells the story of a reporter from the San Jose Mercury News who finds here frail father trembling violently and babbling incoherently in his room in an assisted living facility. He was recovering from a broken hip and also was suffering from advancing Alzheimer's disease. Many years previously her father had signed both "do not resuscitate" and "desire for a natural death" orders. Krieger rushes her father to the hospital were she realizes that the "full knowledge of his wishes translated into very little practical guidance as she threaded the slippery slope that ended with his death in a $10,000-a-day hospital bed 10 days after he'd arrived in the emergency room."
Krieger found that the things she believed to be simply black and white were actually gray. The "cost of dying" is astronomical. Her father was a very thrifty man who had tried to take all the necessary steps to assure a calm and simple passage from life, yet 10 days later and a hospital bill at $323,658, its safe to say his death was not simple.
"Doctors want to be able to make things better," Stanford's interim chief medical officer, Norman Rizk, M.D., explained to her later. "[They] sometimes overestimate the utility of what they do. They want to be hopeful."
While in the hospital Krieger's father developed necrotizing fasciitis and she found herself faced with some difficult decisions. "Was this escalating price — emotional, physical, financial — worth it? I was adrift in a sea of conflicting emotions. Even if we saved him, dementia would continue its march. But he deserved a chance … . Who was I to summon his death?"
In hindsight Krieger had some regrets. She was ill-prepared. She wished that everyone would have been upfront an honest with her regarding her father;s true prognosis. She wished someone would have told her about the wide range of choices she had and that someone would have given her an ethics consult.
"But even as sophisticated a caregiver as Krieger — she has a biology degree and worked in hospitals before entering journalism — can become flustered under the pressure of frightening unforeseen events."
http://www.hhnmag.com/hhnmag/HHNDaily/HHNDailyDisplay.dhtml?id=2340006926
I found this article. It was intense to see some people's views on ending their own life. Here's what caught my attention:
ReplyDelete"In a Pew Research Center poll released in 2006, only 22 percent said a doctor should always try to save a patient’s life, while 70 percent believed that patients should sometimes be allowed to die. More than half said they would tell their doctor to end treatment if they were in great pain with no hope of improvement.
Yet only 69 percent had discussed end-of-life care with a spouse; just 17 percent, or 40 percent of those over 65, had done so with their children. One-third of Americans had a living will and even fewer have taken the more legally enforceable measure of appointing a health care proxy to act on their behalf if they cannot act for themselves.
The latter omission is especially disturbing because by 2030, more than 8.5 million Americans will be over 85 — an age at which roughly half will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of irreversible dementia. For many members of the baby boom generation — more likely to be divorced and childless than their parents — there may be no legal next of kin."
I thought this is sad that so many people are willing to end their life which is already so short! You only live once. There is no rush. I cannot relate to the pain that these people suffer from, but life here on Earth will only last so long.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/opinion/taking-responsibility-for-death.html?_r=1