Fw: [Dysphagia] NYTimes.com Article: When Alzheimer' s Steals the Mind, How Aggressively to Treat the Body?

[bkcole at erols.com (Barbara Cole)]

RE: [Dysphagia] NYTimes.com Article: When Alzheimer' s Steals the Mind, How Aggressively to Treat the Body?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Barbara Cole 
To: Forbes, Margaret 
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Dysphagia] NYTimes.com Article: When Alzheimer' s Steals the Mind, How Aggressively to Treat the Body? 


I hear you and certainly that is true.....but for people already hospitalized or in a non-emergency situation, it is astounding to me how many have never even thought about it----even people with serious illnesses who have come close to facing end of life decisions in the past who just never get around to writing down what they want.  Do people just think it is never going to happen to them----that they will just "up and die"?  We all hope so, but the level of denial is constantly amazing.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Forbes, Margaret 
  To: 'Barbara Cole' 
  Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 8:21 AM
  Subject: RE: [Dysphagia] NYTimes.com Article: When Alzheimer' s Steals the Mind, How Aggressively to Treat the Body? 


  Unfortunately, it is not so simple. People with advance directives are frequently resuscitated by overzealous EMTs or docs.

  Margie Forbes 
  University of Pittsburgh Medical Center 

  -----Original Message----- 
  From: Barbara Cole [mailto:bkcole@erols.com] 
  Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 6:19 PM 
  To: marie.isbell@state.tn.us; dysphagia@b9.com 
  Subject: Re: [Dysphagia] NYTimes.com Article: When Alzheimer' s 
  Steals the Mind, How Aggressively to Treat the Body? 



  And this is EXACTLY why people need to be prodded, forced to confront these 
  issues while they are of sound mound and let their wishes be known.  How 
  many times do you hear people say, "I wouldn't want to be kept alive in that 
  situation", yet they do nothing to try and insure that they WON'T be kept 
  alive at all costs.  The greatest gift one can give to one's children/family 
  is to relieve them of the decision and put it in writing way before it is 
  needed. 
      Years ago there was an uproar over comments made by,  I believe I recall 
  this correctly, the governor of Colorado ? (maybe?). stating the elderly had 
  a "duty to die" because keeping them alive alive at all costs would bankrupt 
  the country. Does anyone else remember this? 
      Barbara 

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