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Awakening the Sweet Spot of Certainty
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Paul was only 53 years old when he collapsed at home. Barely responsive, paramedics rushed Paul to the ER and life support commenced. After Paul was stabilized, he was taken to the
x-ray department for a stat brain CT. The physician made it clear to Lisa that her husband’s condition was critical, and she began preparing for the worst while staying strong for her 10 year old son.
The brain CT scan showed a major bleed that had most likely occurred from a tumor. The neurosurgeon reviewed the scan online and expressed concern that Paul would not survive this
cataclysmic event. The emergency physician then questioned the neurosurgeon, "How certain are you?" The answer would determine what hope the physician would give Paul’s family, and how long Paul needed to be on life support.
The neurosurgeon conceded that Paul’s brain hemorrhage had damaged
his brain beyond repair, and that his medical prognosis was futile. The sweet spot of certainty makes end-of-life decisions easier to make, but how easy would it be for Lisa to accept this prognosis? The emergency physician spoke to Lisa and the family about Paul’s condition as a matter of fact without giving false hope. During this conversation, Lisa immediately awakened to the need for her husband to die with dignity.
As a caregiver, the sweet spot of certainty allows you to make life-and-death decisions through a five-step thought process:
Bringing Precision to
Medicare Cancer Care "The study results reveal that the dominant end-of-life care settings for patients with lung cancer - home, inpatient facility, hospice or intensive care - were linked to different survival times, expenses, number of hospitalizations and duration of palliative care."
The study’s senior investigator, Laura
Hatfield, is an associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. She states, "Medicare policies for cancer care ought to be designed with diversity in mind."
I strongly disagree. "Bringing precision," like providing dignity, necessitates standardizing cancer care. The end has to justify the means and too much respect for diversity keeps patients hoping against
hope and dying in the ICU.
July 14, 2017 (12:30pm)
Lunch and Learn with D. Kevin Haselhorst
Hosted by Hospice of the
West
Betty's Nosh 6685 W. Beardsley, Glendale, AZ 85308
September 6-9, 2017
"Conversations Matter Most in the
Emergency Department"
Advance Care Planning
and
End-of-Life Care Conference
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Banff, Alberta, Canada
Is Palliative Care Right For YOU?
by Kevin J. Haselhorst, MD The key to making medical decisions
is understanding palliative care:
Palliative Care is the
bridge between
advance care
and end-of-life
care.
When you no longer have your health,
how will you spend your time and money?
Is quality of life more important than
staying alive at any cost?
This booklet will teach you: - What palliative care means in practical terms
- The value of making your own medical decisions
- How to gain peace of mind with chronic
illness
Command respect during your next
doctor visit by saying,
"I receive palliative care."
Learn more at KevinHaselhorst.com
One World Observatory
I had the great fortune of visiting the Big Apple at the end of June. It was time to pay my respects to the 9/11 Memorial and view the comingling of the previous Twin Towers to the One World Trade Center. The "Freedom Tower" has risen from the ashes like the phoenix, and the elevator ride to the top encapsulates the virtual rise of New York City. Visitors experience a 3D "life review" of New York City from its granite base to its
world-class skyline.
I couldn’t help but reflect on my own life and evolution from just one single cell. While looking over the five boroughs of New York City, I appreciated how my life has traversed five continents. With the U.S. having just celebrated over 240 years of independence, I can proudly claim to have shared in nearly a quarter of this experimental
democracy.
A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into creating One World Trade Center. Yet, "It’s a Wonderful Life" comes to mind when looking at the bigger picture from the top of it. It’s reassuring to know that persistence pays off, and having the ability to look back on your life with awe makes it all
worthwhile!
#TributeTuesday
Share a tribute to a loved one who has died, or to mark the anniversary of their death.
From July 4th: #TributeTuesday: The Declaration of Independence unites Americans. Will "the consent of the governed" ever agree to one advance directive?
#WishfulWednesdayHave a wish for the weekend? Post your plan on Wednesday. Practice expressing end-of-life wishes during the prime of life. From July 5th: #WishfulWednesday: To not live in "geographic
areas (that) have much higher rates of aggressive end-of-life care and prostrate removal." http://ow.ly/Mmmb30dlXBE
How to Approach Living While
Dying
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Living While Dying Please support this film that makes “living while dying” easier for everyone to engage.
Help spread the word about
this Generosity
fundraiser! UPDATE
We'll be editing the fine cut at the end of this month into July. Immense Possibilities is a weekly public TV and internet series that
featured an interview with Cathy Zheutlin about Living While Dying.
Watch the interview: (10 minutes)
Watch on Vimeo
Cathy needs to raise more money for the music, the sound mix and the color corrections.
Please help get the word out to others you think
might want to back this project!
Only have time for 24 seconds?
As Cathy explores the reality of her loved ones facing death, she turns the camera around and looks at herself.
How will she approach living while dying?
The end result of the film is to have viewers ponder and pick their own rite of passage.
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