Important Ideas/Insights:
1. I realized that the world itself has its fair share of imbalance. Though one person, like Dr. Paul Farmer, can make changes in the world but, such a task requires dedication and sacrifices. Though his good deeds will in turn let karma perform its role. "The rocks in the water don't know how the rocks in the sun feel" (Kidder 110). [Source: Tracy Kidder's Mountains Over Mountains]
2. Dying first may be less painful than living to see others die around you. [Beth Bernett/Evan's Mom]
3. The intent of health insurance, provided by HMO's and other organizations alike, was never to benefit its consumers but, to maximize profits. Though I was quite aware that such companies were ripping millions of people, including me, off, having the idea visualized was more than convincing. [Source: Michael Moore's Sicko]
4. Decisions in the hospital are based upon patient, not the feelings and preferences of family or friends of said patient. As bystanders, we must look past a terminal patient's illness, and perceive them as a human being with a past filled with eventful moments and precious times. [Source given respectively(in order): "Near Death" the documentary and Beth Bernett]
What sources have been most helpful to me?
The discussion about Beth Bernett's experience with life and death was certainly up there on my list of sources that have provided me new knowledge and insights on how to live my own life. I've never been served a plate so full of vivid detail that I was surely in awe of being granted permission to hear the intimate details of a memory that Beth held so close to her, within the perimeters of her mind. Hearing Beth's story, I had not only come to realize the extremity of feelings that overwhelm one when they struck with the fact that their loved one is about to die is more than I could ever understand but, that death can be beautiful in the most gruesome aspects that I have not yet come to comprehend. Such aspects are severely put under curtains that, when it comes our time to face the reality of life and death, we are given almost no time to embrace what will happen in the course of the several years ahead of us. Despite such a talk that has struck deep and grave into my thoughts, I am still ignorant of the harm that a life taken away from me can affect me. No matter how many horrid stories about illness and death are presented in front of me, I believe I cannot fully take hold of the melancholy that many hold because of such stories.
What questions and areas do you think its most important to explore in the final two weeks of the unit? How should we best explore those topics/questions?
We should definitely focus on the questions, "What do near-death experiences provide us with? And do they lead to cliche theories of death?", "How do we cope with the dying of our loved ones?" and "What are rituals that resemble or come close to the idea of death?" I'm not sure how to approach such questions with a certain finesse. I can approach these questions as an a mere novice, attempting to ask all the right people who may or may not be legitimate in answering such complex questions.
Two Paragraphs Addressing Some of The Questions Above
In all my 16 years of living on this earth, I don't believe I don't hold any remarkable near-death experience. Though, I don't think that a remarkable one must always be a shining factor in change of someone's perspective on illness and dying. All those who have generously shared their stories with me have quite honestly provided me with extremely similar reactions and epiphanies to a near-death experience. "Now that I know I could die any moment, I cherish the things around me more" is most certainly a phrase thrown here and there as if its meaning has really escaped. I question whether the common notions of near-death experiences true or are they simply a coincidence? I'm no decipher of human emotions but, the reactions of those who have come to the brink of life have sure left a repetitive impression on me. As indifferently as I may seem when I state this, I assure the humble satire you believe I am emanating is just my ambiguous view of the effects of near-death experiences.
Coping is considerably one of the many things that we humans have made an effort to grow a fondness towards. Coping allows us to ignore the things that we know will impact us most and trek the unbalanced road of future problems and glorious moments. I would assume that the death of a loved one would leave a person mentally damaged and torn to the point that coping cannot suffice in making everything "okay." The sadness or mourning that comes with death cannot vanish; they simply stay, whether we choose to display or not display such feelings. We live through life with experiences that define us and influence us to make the decisions we make. I cannot escape the cliche answer to "How do we cope with the dying of our loved ones?" We simply live with it. Do not be misguided however, my inquiry on how we deal with matters like death has not ended but, has furthered and probably will stump me until the day I experience a illness and see how people around me react or rather, cope with my condition.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
HW 25 - Response to Sicko
Precis:
Health insurance is inadequate to cover the expenses of even those who do have access to medical care. The intent of health insurance was never to benefit the people but to maximize the profits of HMO's and other organizations alike. Such HMO’s earn morn money by denying care to several people, claiming "pre-existing" conditions were at fault. It would be difficult to change the laws that are in favor of a government-run health-care system because many HMO's donate to a specific politician's campaign to gain power over the passing of a bill. We should take example of France and Canada, who have better health systems that are in favor of the people while pertaining to the economic state of each individual.
Evidence:
a) 1. There are nearly 50 million people without health insurance (*)
2. Poorest people of England can live longer than the wealthiest Americans
a) 1. There are nearly 50 million people without health insurance (*)
2. Poorest people of England can live longer than the wealthiest Americans
b) The pieces of evidence were important in bolstering his argument because they provided a foundation for his persuading his audience that our health system is meager compared to that of other countries who provide universal health care. I would assume Michael Moore's reference to longevity would spark interest and bolster his argument because I would say our intent, as a people, is to prevent death and illness and the possibility of dying at a young age.
c) CNN's Gupta Fact Checks were considerably in favor of the fact that the majority of Moore's claims were correct, especially in that Insurance companies seek only profit and profit maximization. Skimming Moore's responses, I found that several of his claims were correct however, I am sure I there were many that were based upon Moore's pure opinion and self-righteousness.
d) (*) This claim was legitimate because "Based on the data from the 2006 NHIS, a total of 54.5 million person of all ages were uninsured"(Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2006. Centers for Disease Control). Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur200706.pdf
Response:
The beginning of Sicko was considerably gruesome based on the fact that a middle aged man had sown together his own gash, located on his shin, with some thread and a needle. I hadn't anticipated the sight and so, I assumed Moore was an eccentric film maker but, then again I was not familiar with his works so, who was I to judge? Moore didn't seem like the sort of person to be talking about health insurance when he himself could not clearly maintain a healthy body mass. Speaking in a extremely intriguing voice, Moore didn't fail to persuade me of the greedy and sly nature of the CEOs in insurance companies. The CEO's denying of claims of several people deserving of insurance is a perfect exhibit of how health insurance seeks to only maximize their profits. Though, its not far off to say that such insurance companies, like Oxford, rip me off with unreasonable expenses but, my stubbornness to retaliate only reaches so far. Insurance provides me with some, more or less, protection and guarantee that I will receive the help I need in the event that I am sick. How would my not buying insurance benefit me? The U.S. is merciless and money will most likely overrule an ill person in need of a vaccine.
The beginning of Sicko was considerably gruesome based on the fact that a middle aged man had sown together his own gash, located on his shin, with some thread and a needle. I hadn't anticipated the sight and so, I assumed Moore was an eccentric film maker but, then again I was not familiar with his works so, who was I to judge? Moore didn't seem like the sort of person to be talking about health insurance when he himself could not clearly maintain a healthy body mass. Speaking in a extremely intriguing voice, Moore didn't fail to persuade me of the greedy and sly nature of the CEOs in insurance companies. The CEO's denying of claims of several people deserving of insurance is a perfect exhibit of how health insurance seeks to only maximize their profits. Though, its not far off to say that such insurance companies, like Oxford, rip me off with unreasonable expenses but, my stubbornness to retaliate only reaches so far. Insurance provides me with some, more or less, protection and guarantee that I will receive the help I need in the event that I am sick. How would my not buying insurance benefit me? The U.S. is merciless and money will most likely overrule an ill person in need of a vaccine.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
HW 23 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 2
Assigned Book: Mountains Over Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Year Published: 2003
Thought-Provoking Quotes (Gems):
"He would catalog what he called "the geography of blame" and the scapegoat role assigned to Haiti." (Kidder 106).
Response: Our government will do what it can to keep it's reputation looking pristine and untouched and so, several faults and blames are put on other countries. For example: The U.S. is without empathy when it had identified Haiti as a "risk group", disregarding the harm it would cause on the Haitian economy. Assuming the degree of disregard, the U.S. government makes decisions based upon the benefits that would arise from a certain action to aid their own country and ultimately, not that of others.
"From where he sat, Cange looked like a collection of small dwellings scattered in no particular pattern on the side of an almost treeless mountain"(Kidder 106).
Response: Aside from the riots and demonstrations leaving the soil of Cange colored red, the site is broken and shattered that defining its state would be difficult. What word would suffice?
"The rocks in the water don't know how the rocks in the sun feel" (Kidder 110).
Response: Will karma will take its course over time so Haitian elite will feel the suffering of the Haitian poor? Is a government of saints enough to make reform happen?
Precis (Chapter 11: The Tin Roofs of Cange):
In midst of everything, Farmer had acquainted himself with a priest names Aristide and studied the origin of AIDs, proceeding to incorporate his research into this thesis. By then, it was 1990, and Farmer had received his Ph.D. from Harvard although he had an outstanding record of absences and was awarded permission to publicize his thesis. Still militant in his efforts to lift oppression off the Haitian poor, Farmer had trouble disconnecting himself from the many faces and past events he saw and experienced in the hospital rooms.
Thoughts:
How much can our brains keep track of the faces of healthy and sick people? I'm amazed at the capacity at which Farmer can hold a great number of faces solid in his mind. With so many memories filled with gore, I don't think I would be able to face the corruption and blood-ridden world without being a mere bystander. I wonder if compassion and determination are enough to save a people from complete devastation? Farmer has a mnemonic structure where he remembers all faces and the mere stuffed animals placed in a patient's hospital room to remember a thousands of ailments. I don't believe I could ever carry the burden of not being able to cure someone of a disease and have their face branded into my mind. It's a scary thought to be the middle man between death and life. I'm grateful to have not been in this situation. My view of life and death is very obscure compared to that of Farmer. Having seen several die from the worst of diseases, Farmer is nonetheless never depressed, a concept I am unable to fathom. The hope Farmer holds within his efforts and Partners of Health organization gives me hope that there are other doctors in the world that are as willing as he is to rid the world of diseases and deaths. I wonder as to why doctors dedicate their lives to saving and curing people, is it because they want to be reassured that their power is enough to evade death? Or do they seek a sharp slap in the face to remind them of the reality of life?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
HW 21B
For Kevin,
I really liked the first two topic sentence of your first paragraph: " There is a time where you have to let go. I totally agree with this idea. Nothing lasts forever. Yes, cliché, but also true." This went well in bringing the readers attention to Beth's story. Your post is very straightforward and, I applaud you because death is a difficult topic to write about because ultimately, death is vague as living humans have never experienced it. I'd like it if you had introduced your body paragraphs the same way you did for your introduction. Your transition from paragraph to paragraph is somewhat in a logical order but, try to structure your paragraphs so every topic sentence correlates to the main point you are trying to convey. There are some grammatical errors here and there. One thing to keep in mind is to remember this is a somewhat formal post; the use of the word "So" might not always be sufficient in starting out sentences.
For Amber,
Modality: (Depth and Insight)
Amber,
Your post most definitely demonstrates your eye for key points. The most beautiful and insightful part about your writing would have to be one of your concluding questions: "When we die it is usually said that we go to a better place, so why aren’t we excited about dying and escaping from this obstacle course called life?" Such a thought-provoking question surely deserve recognition. I agree that it's strange how we complain about the hardships of life but, are defensive and ambivalent when it comes our time to part from life itself. The last sentence of your post was admittedly cliche and it would only benefit your writing if you were to have offered an alternative perspective, essentially a cliff hanger for a reader to trigger their interest in exploring the realms of death.
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From Spencer (Younger Person),
I really like what you said about death, "Death is considerably taboo, as it is sacred and words about the deceased are almost, in a way, forbidden." I feel that death is a taboo topic not only because people want to be conscious of others' emotions, but because people are afraid of dying themselves.
From Kevin (T/W team, person from class),
First of all, good blog post. I enjoyed reading about your interpretations of Beth's insights, and some of your own. I think that there were a lot of parts of your post where you showed good perspective and insight,such as these lines "When the death of someone we care about occurs, we subconsciously think about how this death with affect our own stability without their presence. We push their once potential-filled life into the gutter only to seek the optimum way to buffet with our mourning and sorrow." That is really deep and original, and really shows your perspective and what you are about. I would love to see more of this throughout your posts. While there was a lot of good perspective, There were times where you started to talk about an experience that you have had, and just kind of ended your idea. "Having been in the hospital a few months ago to visit an ill family member, I feel that the presence of beauty and pain had never revealed it self, however, it was there nonetheless." I feel as if you could have elaborated more there. I like the line, I just think it could have been followed up better. Overall, good post, keep up the good work.
From Amber (T/W team, person from class),
It was nice to read your blog post; you have many insightful things to say. You asked me to give you feedback by reading your blog post through the modality of proofreading. Overall your blog post was interesting to read, but I felt like you had many long sentences. Maybe if you can cut some sentences shorter, or just keep everything short and concise. You were using a lot of commas throughout your sentences which to me signals that your sentences are getting too long. There were times where I felt the need to catch my breath. Next time I would advise you to use semi colons, in place of some of the commas. Try to let the reader know everything you are trying to say but in a shorter form. Other than that I felt like you did a good job. I didn't notice any spelling mistakes, which is good. It was interesting to hear your thoughts about Beth's presentation.
From Pam (Mentor) ,
This part is beautifully written: "In explaining the event in which she had seen her father die, Beth, with a slight quiver in her voice, had mentioned that even when the time to set our worries and tears free from our conscience, hospitals place white curtains over our eyes, shielding what we should be able to face." You do an amazing job of making me question my previously-held notion that people who want to die at home are truly selfish. When my grandmother was near death in the hospital, she expressed a wish to die at home and all I could see was how much more difficult that would be for my dad. Your blog makes me question that, and look back on that situation wondering if anything would have change if it was handled differently.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
HW 22 - Illness & Dying Book Part 1
Assigned Book: Mountains Over Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Year Published: 2003
Thought-Provoking Quotes: (Gems)
"The world is full of miserable places. One way of living comfortably is not to think about them or, when you do, to send money" (Kidder 8).
Response: This concept or rather, a way of pushing the hardships of other countries to the back of our minds is selfish. We'd like to think that money will make everything better but, while we sit in our comfy chairs and sip some wine, miserable places won't be freed of famine. However, the money offered as a helping hand embodies a good intent but, in reality how many pieces of paper that hold no intrinsic value keep a third-world country stable?
"In Haiti, Farmer told me...25 percent of the Haitians die before they reach forty. 'It's because there's a near famine there'" (Kidder 25).
Response: Even the greatest and the most prodigious amounts of medicines cannot conquer famine. Farmer's two hands can only heal a number a people.
"In 1987, the army's paramilitaries had massacred scores of voters at polling places, aborting what would have been the first democratic elections in Haiti's history" (Kidder 105).
Paraphrase: Though efforts have been made to improve Haiti, reform isn't imminent.
Precis: (Pages 25-40)
Farmer is the essence of miracles, becoming nearly a god to the people of Haiti. Haitians hold a sort of faith in Farmer, however, Farmer cannot allow himself to acknowledge himself the way the Haitian community does because of the extent to which his medical skills and resources can uphold. The world's problems cannot be fixed without cost to the abbetor.
Thoughts:
It's not far off to say that I am extremely ignorant of the hardships of Third-World countries. In the back of my mind, I'd like to think I could help or offer a helping hand but, there's only so many things a 16 year old, without an income or a job of her own, can do. Farmer who is ambivalent about selling his services to places who cannot afford them, sacrifices his time to devote his life to healing the poor in Haiti. This is without a doubt a difficult task to live up to, one that I don't think I could ever be capable of taking up. Admittedly, I am selfish, I take many things for granted, and when an ad on the television comes on about helping Haiti children, there are times I turn away, guilty. What can this rectangular piece of green paper do for a Haitian family? Can my pathetic attempt to help reach across the seas? Farmer embraces the death but, also medicines that can help to conquer AIDs, gangrene, and TB. I, on the other hand, cannot embrace the consequences of death and for that, I am unable to feel the pride in helping a Third World country. To make myself feel less guilty, I tell myself, "Currency with no intrinsic value or the most effective medicines cannot always save or rescue a person from the hands of death." In writing out my thoughts, I feel as if I have come to grips with how I attempt to push away my own guilty conscience.
Publisher: Random House, Inc.
Year Published: 2003
Thought-Provoking Quotes: (Gems)
"The world is full of miserable places. One way of living comfortably is not to think about them or, when you do, to send money" (Kidder 8).
Response: This concept or rather, a way of pushing the hardships of other countries to the back of our minds is selfish. We'd like to think that money will make everything better but, while we sit in our comfy chairs and sip some wine, miserable places won't be freed of famine. However, the money offered as a helping hand embodies a good intent but, in reality how many pieces of paper that hold no intrinsic value keep a third-world country stable?
"In Haiti, Farmer told me...25 percent of the Haitians die before they reach forty. 'It's because there's a near famine there'" (Kidder 25).
Response: Even the greatest and the most prodigious amounts of medicines cannot conquer famine. Farmer's two hands can only heal a number a people.
"In 1987, the army's paramilitaries had massacred scores of voters at polling places, aborting what would have been the first democratic elections in Haiti's history" (Kidder 105).
Paraphrase: Though efforts have been made to improve Haiti, reform isn't imminent.
Precis: (Pages 25-40)
Farmer is the essence of miracles, becoming nearly a god to the people of Haiti. Haitians hold a sort of faith in Farmer, however, Farmer cannot allow himself to acknowledge himself the way the Haitian community does because of the extent to which his medical skills and resources can uphold. The world's problems cannot be fixed without cost to the abbetor.
Thoughts:
It's not far off to say that I am extremely ignorant of the hardships of Third-World countries. In the back of my mind, I'd like to think I could help or offer a helping hand but, there's only so many things a 16 year old, without an income or a job of her own, can do. Farmer who is ambivalent about selling his services to places who cannot afford them, sacrifices his time to devote his life to healing the poor in Haiti. This is without a doubt a difficult task to live up to, one that I don't think I could ever be capable of taking up. Admittedly, I am selfish, I take many things for granted, and when an ad on the television comes on about helping Haiti children, there are times I turn away, guilty. What can this rectangular piece of green paper do for a Haitian family? Can my pathetic attempt to help reach across the seas? Farmer embraces the death but, also medicines that can help to conquer AIDs, gangrene, and TB. I, on the other hand, cannot embrace the consequences of death and for that, I am unable to feel the pride in helping a Third World country. To make myself feel less guilty, I tell myself, "Currency with no intrinsic value or the most effective medicines cannot always save or rescue a person from the hands of death." In writing out my thoughts, I feel as if I have come to grips with how I attempt to push away my own guilty conscience.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
HW 21 - Expert #1
Important Insights and Experiences from Guest Speaker:
1. As adolescents, we have been shielded by the beauty and gruesomeness of death. Hospitals curtain and sanitize the pain our loved ones feel.
2. It's important to look past an ill patient's sickness and see them as a person with a colorful and productive past, deserving of compassion and good lasting moments with family and loved ones.
3. Being alive and having loved ones die first may be the most painful experience because you are watching them wither away while you too, wither away but, at a slower pace. Dying first would allow you to not go through the pain of seeing another die.
Having been offered Beth's intimate details about her experiences dealing with death, I certainly gained new insight on the realms in which one enters when his or her's loved one dies. Death is considerably taboo, as it is sacred and words about the deceased are almost, in a way, forbidden. This is a concept I have become fond of over the years, as this conversation in class was intense and foreign to me. In explaining the event in which she had seen her father die, Beth, with a slight quiver in her voice, had mentioned that even when the time to set our worries and tears free from our conscience, hospitals place white curtains over our eyes, shielding what we should be able to face. When she was able to take care of her husband 24-7 in the comfort of her home, she had experienced the most intimate and beautiful moments of her life. On the other hand, the cold and windowless walls of a hospital bedroom connote the sense of detachment and lack of emotion that overwhelms the air, essentially sanitizing and monitoring our own emotions by not allowing us to see suffering and the gruesomeness of death. After a white sheet is pulled over a dead body, leaving the last breath almost a whisper, the chance to embrace "a warmth left in the body before rigor mortis takes over" is gone. Having been in the hospital a few months ago to visit an ill family member, I feel that the presence of beauty and pain had never revealed it self, however, it was there nonetheless.
Admittedly, finding beauty in death is a difficult task. However identifying the pity I feel when in the presence of an ill person is an easy task for me unfortunately. Although pity disgusts me, I'd be lying if I proclaimed that I have never participated in the act of pitying another. Beth had spoke about the need to see past a person's illness and realize that they too posses a past with eventful experiences. Her placing Erik's paintings all around the hospital room did not emanate his position as a terminal patient but rather, a human being with children to be proud of, collections of masterful art works, and the strong will of a fighter. Seeing past one's present state to explore one's achievements not only creates mutual feelings of respect but of love. My stroking hand on my once sick cousin's shoulder, serving as a comforting factor now seems condescending and almost full of pity. To see past an illness, is to perceive a person as if their sickness never came about, possibly subsiding the inevitable factor that the end of loved one's time on earth is imminent.
The idea that dying first may be less painful because the sight of others dying first may be a bit more overwhelming in that the ability to reverse the death of others is impossible and so, the apperception of their suffering is unavoidable is understandable. Reflecting on this concept, I have found that this concept or rather, way of thinking, is selfish. When the death of someone we care about occurs, we subconsciously think about how this death with affect our own stability without their presence. We push their once potential-filled life into the gutter only to seek the optimum way to buffet with our mourning and sorrow. It's strange to think that many people spend a generous amount of time mourning but, yet they question: "How will I live without them?"
1. As adolescents, we have been shielded by the beauty and gruesomeness of death. Hospitals curtain and sanitize the pain our loved ones feel.
2. It's important to look past an ill patient's sickness and see them as a person with a colorful and productive past, deserving of compassion and good lasting moments with family and loved ones.
3. Being alive and having loved ones die first may be the most painful experience because you are watching them wither away while you too, wither away but, at a slower pace. Dying first would allow you to not go through the pain of seeing another die.
Having been offered Beth's intimate details about her experiences dealing with death, I certainly gained new insight on the realms in which one enters when his or her's loved one dies. Death is considerably taboo, as it is sacred and words about the deceased are almost, in a way, forbidden. This is a concept I have become fond of over the years, as this conversation in class was intense and foreign to me. In explaining the event in which she had seen her father die, Beth, with a slight quiver in her voice, had mentioned that even when the time to set our worries and tears free from our conscience, hospitals place white curtains over our eyes, shielding what we should be able to face. When she was able to take care of her husband 24-7 in the comfort of her home, she had experienced the most intimate and beautiful moments of her life. On the other hand, the cold and windowless walls of a hospital bedroom connote the sense of detachment and lack of emotion that overwhelms the air, essentially sanitizing and monitoring our own emotions by not allowing us to see suffering and the gruesomeness of death. After a white sheet is pulled over a dead body, leaving the last breath almost a whisper, the chance to embrace "a warmth left in the body before rigor mortis takes over" is gone. Having been in the hospital a few months ago to visit an ill family member, I feel that the presence of beauty and pain had never revealed it self, however, it was there nonetheless.
Admittedly, finding beauty in death is a difficult task. However identifying the pity I feel when in the presence of an ill person is an easy task for me unfortunately. Although pity disgusts me, I'd be lying if I proclaimed that I have never participated in the act of pitying another. Beth had spoke about the need to see past a person's illness and realize that they too posses a past with eventful experiences. Her placing Erik's paintings all around the hospital room did not emanate his position as a terminal patient but rather, a human being with children to be proud of, collections of masterful art works, and the strong will of a fighter. Seeing past one's present state to explore one's achievements not only creates mutual feelings of respect but of love. My stroking hand on my once sick cousin's shoulder, serving as a comforting factor now seems condescending and almost full of pity. To see past an illness, is to perceive a person as if their sickness never came about, possibly subsiding the inevitable factor that the end of loved one's time on earth is imminent.
The idea that dying first may be less painful because the sight of others dying first may be a bit more overwhelming in that the ability to reverse the death of others is impossible and so, the apperception of their suffering is unavoidable is understandable. Reflecting on this concept, I have found that this concept or rather, way of thinking, is selfish. When the death of someone we care about occurs, we subconsciously think about how this death with affect our own stability without their presence. We push their once potential-filled life into the gutter only to seek the optimum way to buffet with our mourning and sorrow. It's strange to think that many people spend a generous amount of time mourning but, yet they question: "How will I live without them?"
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
19 - Family Perspectives on Illness & Dying
It was odd and uncomfortable to randomly ask my mother about what she thought about illness and dying. Sitting on the beige colored couch, my mother tilted her head for a moment and gave a very straight forward answer, which was expected because this was not the first time I had ever talked about death with her. "We all experience illness and death at one point in time. We all die, it's a part of life you have to accept" she said nonchalantly. Hearing this, I imagined the words as if they were that of an actor's, scripted and practiced many times. I've heard this response one too many times and it serves as cliche but, most cliches are indeed true, including this one.
Cliches about death and illnesses live on forever through the internet, books, and stories. We have all learned that death is something everyone experiences yet, we fear it as if the idea were foreign. Our fear drives society to educate aspiring adolescents and encourage them to become doctors, surgeons, and nurses, essentially the middle men in between life and death, whose jobs are to prevent illness. With thousands of new medicines arriving in the market, we can begin to question our perception of medicine's importance. Looking forward to pursue a career in pharmacy, I have already discussed with my mother the importance of medicine in healing those who are ill. Having given her the basics of allopathic versus holistic medicines, I asked my mother which of the two she had preferred. A furrow in her brow, my mother pointed out the heath stimulating factor in which maybe holistic medicines such as herbs can provide security, extinguishing the need to worry about the side effects of a medicine with chemicals. As helpful as herbs may seem to be, the extent to which herbs can heal cannot reach that of allopathic medicines and so, different factors can determine the virtue of a certain medicine. Realizing the rational nature of my mother, I was surprised to see the contradictions in her response to my questions though, answering such a question is difficult considering the several variables.
After ending the discussion with my mother, I had realized I had already known what my mother would have answered in response to my questions. This itself had demonstrated how my mothers views of how to deal with illness and dying directly influence how I approach the same things. However, having been born in a different generation than my parents, my view of medicine is considerably different. I am fond of the idea of allopathic medicines as prescribed medicines are much more common than they were about 50 years ago. Solutions for colds, coughs, and congested noses have become more accessible and so, my desire to drink some herbal tea over having a measured dose of Robitussin has died down. Encouraging me to consume as little medicine as possible, my mother is strict in educating me the importance of health and self-worth of the body. As my mother's generation's approach to illness and dying overlap with that of my own generation's, I can conclude that allopathic and holistic medicines, both serving to deviate from the path of death, have both advantages and disadvantages.
Cliches about death and illnesses live on forever through the internet, books, and stories. We have all learned that death is something everyone experiences yet, we fear it as if the idea were foreign. Our fear drives society to educate aspiring adolescents and encourage them to become doctors, surgeons, and nurses, essentially the middle men in between life and death, whose jobs are to prevent illness. With thousands of new medicines arriving in the market, we can begin to question our perception of medicine's importance. Looking forward to pursue a career in pharmacy, I have already discussed with my mother the importance of medicine in healing those who are ill. Having given her the basics of allopathic versus holistic medicines, I asked my mother which of the two she had preferred. A furrow in her brow, my mother pointed out the heath stimulating factor in which maybe holistic medicines such as herbs can provide security, extinguishing the need to worry about the side effects of a medicine with chemicals. As helpful as herbs may seem to be, the extent to which herbs can heal cannot reach that of allopathic medicines and so, different factors can determine the virtue of a certain medicine. Realizing the rational nature of my mother, I was surprised to see the contradictions in her response to my questions though, answering such a question is difficult considering the several variables.
After ending the discussion with my mother, I had realized I had already known what my mother would have answered in response to my questions. This itself had demonstrated how my mothers views of how to deal with illness and dying directly influence how I approach the same things. However, having been born in a different generation than my parents, my view of medicine is considerably different. I am fond of the idea of allopathic medicines as prescribed medicines are much more common than they were about 50 years ago. Solutions for colds, coughs, and congested noses have become more accessible and so, my desire to drink some herbal tea over having a measured dose of Robitussin has died down. Encouraging me to consume as little medicine as possible, my mother is strict in educating me the importance of health and self-worth of the body. As my mother's generation's approach to illness and dying overlap with that of my own generation's, I can conclude that allopathic and holistic medicines, both serving to deviate from the path of death, have both advantages and disadvantages.
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