(Snippets from the frontline)
Myron’s right to die
When I first visited this mid-80s senior at home, he laid on a hospital bed paralyzed.
Myron ran a successful company for decades, but his wife of over 60 years passed away the year before sending him into an emotional tailspin. Yet he still generated authority as his two daughters sat close by.
His greatest hope was to attend his great granddaughter’s Bat Mitzvah in a year, so I recommended he video his congratulations, which was met with an executive “I’ll take it under advisement.”
Eight months later, he was admitted to the hospital unresponsive. His daughters, who now had Power of Attorney, decided on conservative care of IV fluids and antibiotic. Two days later he awoke, but was upset stating “Why did you do this?…I wanted to be with my wife!”
We stopped the treatment, and the following day, Myron passed away without pain or suffering.
Several months later, I received a phone call from his daughter telling me they played a video he made for the great granddaughter at her Bat Mitzvah. She said tears filled the room as her father opened his heart with encouragement and a wonderful spirit of his blessings.
Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D.
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