The Revolving Door of Illness, Treatment, and the End of Our Lives

Douglas Trenkle

Abstract

The Revolving Door of Illness, Treatment, and the End of Our Lives

In our book club we read all sorts of literature. On one occasion we even took turns reading a Shakepearean comedy, “Much Ado about Nothing.” But our last reading was more serious, and was “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande. It is a very good story by this fine physician, reporting on the dilemmas we face with aging, illness, and dealing with death as it approaches to end our life. It also had a very personal part, as Dr. Gawande told the story of his own father, a physican also and now deceased, who had a paraspinal tumor causing symptoms. One doctor said to operate soon, another said to wait there was no hurry. How could this be? Diametrically opposed opines on a spinal cord tumor presented by their consultants… The Gawandes were confused and upset in this circumstance, and both had backgrounds to understand pathophysiology and treatment of disease. One can only imagine the confusion to lay people who have litle or no background, only Google.

Author(s):

Douglas Trenkle

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