Just watched a FRONTLINE SPECIAL made in 2015 about DEATH AND DYING.
Atul Gawande MD was the correspondent who interviewed oncologists and other physicians and end of lifers including RNs about how to let patients know they are dying.
Atul Gawande (born November 5, 1965) is an American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. He practices general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atul_Gawande
He has written extensively on medicine and public health for The New Yorker and Slate, and is the author of the books Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science; Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance; The Checklist Manifesto; and Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.
Patients often don't hear what their doctors are telling them. It is very difficult.
When Dad died in 1980 it was very difficult. Dr. Lutz helped our family. As did visitors who arrived at his bedside.
I wanted to write a poem about it.
THE TOMB
They brought Dr Atul Gawande's father home to the small town in India where he grew up.
His mortal remains had been cremated and they brought him to the Ganges River. Millions upon millions
of people had their ashes scattered over this huge and ancient body of water. They hired a boatsman or two
like Hari Srinavasin did several years ago when his father died and we watched in silence.
I felt like a tomb had grown around me - a very tall tomb of no particular color - as I watched the program
on my Red Couch in the darkness, lying down, covered over by Sandy's pink and magenta blanket, savoring,
simply savoring that I cherish experiences like this and that it's okay. Simply okay. And thought of
Aunt Ethel and Mother and Dad and little Max and little Ruthie.
Someday, all our turns will come.
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