End of Life Choices

I was on the road tonight and lucky to be able to listen to one of my favorite shows on NPR: Fresh Air with Terri Gross. The interview was with Dr. Robert Martensen, an ER doctor who recently published a book called A Life Worth Living. In his book,

Martensen presents case studies that illustrate the problems and complexities of American health care system, and argues that safeguarding the quality of a patient's life sometimes trumps the urge to sustain life at all cost.

The full interview with Terri Gross can be heard by clicking here.

One of the most poignant parts of the interview was when Dr. Martensen discussed his father's death. Because his father had signed an advance health care directive indicating he did not want to be put on a ventilator, Dr. Martensen was able to support his father's wishes in his final days. By indicating his desires through the appropriate forms, he was able to end his life the way he wanted, without a ventilator and recieving pain medication which would not inhibit his lucidity.

These are tough decisions for families and individuals to make, and Dr. Martensen's interview informs and empowers us to consider the type of care we want at the end of our lives. Often these choices are never considered--we are embaressed, unsure of what we want, or do not want to think about it.

All of these emotions are understandable, but our lack of decisivness causes considerable anguish for children and family members who are left to decide, not knowing if the decisions they make are what their parent or relative would have wanted.

The California Office of the Attorney General has a great website which explains what an Advance Health Care Directive is, why it is important, and other resources which may help individauls and families consider their options. To learn more, click here.