He says most people tell him they would prefer a sudden death, but he thinks that is very hard on the families of the deceased.Uncle Junior gives Tony the bad news.
‘The long, slow death from dementia may be the most awful as you are slowly erased, but then again when death comes it may be just a light kiss,’ he says.
‘Death from organ failure – respiratory, cardiac, or kidney – will have you far too much in hospital and in the hands of doctors.
‘So death from cancer is the best...
‘This is, I recognise, a romantic view of dying, but it is achievable with love, morphine, and whisky. But stay away from overambitious oncologists, and let’s stop wasting billions trying to cure cancer, potentially leaving us to die a much more horrible death.’
Friday, January 2, 2015
"cancer... It's the best way to die, says top doctor"
"Dr Richard Smith says it may be a ‘romantic view’, but cancer gives people a chance to say goodbye to their loved ones, which is denied to many who die from other conditions."
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25 comments:
There's some truth to that. My wife died three months after she was diagnosed.
You've got to die of something.
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Rodney Dangerfield, Back to School, 1986
Dying is not good. While there is a blessing in having a chance to say goodbyes before you go (as opposed to a sudden death from a car accident or a heart attack/stroke), that does not mean we should embrace cancer.
Let me guess, that "top doctor" is a proponent of ObamaCare. If you want to make government healthcare pencil out, a good way to do it is to push the ill out onto ice flows. Sarah Palin proved right again.
It was a good death…
Some people say goodbye to love ones, often in subtle ways, and then blow their brains out.
For those of us who prefer a cat's goodbye, sudden sounds best. I do agree about dementia. Her great grandkids will never remember Mom as a lively fun person, but as a mean old lady to be avoided.
Been thinking vaguely about funeral music. (I am fine, just thinking.) I told Baby Sis to feel free to play "Ding, Dong, The Witch Is Dead" at mine. I know I want "Rock of Ages" and "Ashokan Farewell" but get flummoxed when I try to find other songs. Many songs have the right rhythm and sound, but my brain finds it impossible to actually listen to words. What do you think about Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire?" My mind keeps going to Johnny Cash songs used as background to dramatic death scenes on TV -- "The Man Comes Around" and "God's Gonna Cut You Down", but know they are wildly inappropriate for funerals.
EBL said ...
Let me guess, that "top doctor" is a proponent of ObamaCare.
My bet too. And as for dying of cancer, bullshit about the lingering. Watching my dad die a very slow and painful cancer death, my opinion is that this doctor is the last guy I'd want for my oncologist. And I do have an oncologist I see periodically. F*ck this jerk. Since in most states they cannot administer a timed (for the compassionate reasons cited) euthanasia dose...this idiot is just looking to clear a schedule...or just do less honest medical work. (Hello VA?) Caring for patients is the last thing it cares about...f*ck him. In every orifice available, repeatedly, with a cheese grater.
One more comment on this "good way to die" bullshit. If you think morphine relieves all pain, guess again. I've had sports injuries where it did zilch, same for demerol, even dilaudid, and they aren't going to give you hourly doses of fentanyl either. My better half spent 20 days in ICU following a brain aneurysm and nothing less than fentanyl worked, carefully administered in an ICU setting, until the brain finally was able to drain on its own.
When you're finished with the cheese grater on this fool, then shove salt in every orifice, plus some alcohol swabs, then slap shit out of the idiot. Repeat every half day.
What? Am I too strident? Tough.
This fool's romantic view of cancer is nonsense.
It's good to die.
Sounds like Pelosi/Obama/Hillary NHS liberals want you dead so they can steal your stuff & why don't you just take a pain pill.
Why can't good liberals focus on importing condoms to India?
I want to die kicking and screaming.
I don't know for sure but, we must have learned a hell of a lot from studying the dammed thing.
They have made huge improvements with cancer (especially childhood cancers, which in some cases went from very low to now 90% survival rates).
I am not saying lingering in any sickness is a good thing, cancer deaths can be a brutal as any deaths out there, dementia is a horror I would just assume not face, sudden can be good in some situations, but to throw out a blanket comment that cancer is a good thing is just crap (especially from a so called doctor). Truth is everyone is going to face mortality and every case is different (but in the end will have the same outcome). It is medicine's roll to push it off as long as possible, weighing what is the patient's wishes and best interests.
I am with AllenS on this.
EBL & AllenS...I plan to do just that.
Have you ever noticed that you never see "died kicking and screaming" in any obituary.
"It's the best way to die, says top doctor""
Bullshit.
Death merchant who doesn't take care of actual patients.
"When I die, I want to go like my grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep. Not yelling and screaming like all the passengers in his car."
-- Jack Handey
I used to do lots of hospice care.
The best way to die is highly dependent on the person, but most people understandably want to avoid pain, which cancer delivers in spades.
I wouldn't mind going by being shot out of a cannon right into Nancy Pelosi.
But first saying, "Ya feelin' lucky, punk?"
Pelosi's horrible frozen face is the last thing you want to see, Pogo? Reconsider. Please.
There must have been at least one soccer player that died kicking and screaming.
ricpic
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.
Plus, I'd close my eyes tight.
Far easier however to introduce Pelosi to Dr. Richard Smith.
Pogo, I had forgotten about that Jack Handey quote. LOL
I used it at a medical conference once.
Smattering of nervous laughter.
Oops.
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