Medical Humanities: the Rx for Uncertainty? Renowned physician author Danielle Ofri makes the case for how the humanities offer not only well-being for physicians but also make us better doctors through growing wisdom from knowledge and building creativity, all of which help us embrace the inherent uncertainty in medicine.
Say her name: Dr. Susan Moore Op ed about the life and death of Dr. Susan Moore, a black family physician who died of COVID in December, after recording a post relating her racist treatment while a patient.
PPE-clad doctor comforts lonely elderly covid 19 patient The doctor's new role: family member, hug, hand...heartbreaking photo shows PPE-clad doctor comforting lonely, elderly covid-19 patient
Reentry This is a NEJM perspective piece written by a palliative care doctor in NYC in light of the COVID pandemic. A snippet: "From March to June 2020, I led a palliative care team embedded in our hospital’s Covid ICU. We spoke to countless families over the phone and by Zoom calls to tell them their loved ones were critically ill, getting sicker, and eventually, dying. When the prognosis seemed dire, we recommended transitioning to comfort-focused care. And in patients’ final hours and days, we held iPads at their bedsides so that family members around the world could say goodbye."
Why Women Still Can't Have It All A woman who had one of the most powerful jobs in the State Department stepped down to spend time with her family. She discusses the gender divide in making such a choice, and provides perspective on how the workplace for both women AND men might change if we approach the topic of career and family differently.
Our Successful Open Marriage Sierra Black describes the benefits and the struggles inherent to a polyamorous relationship, including trust and honesty as well as having children.
Trapped in His Body for 12 Years, A Man Breaks Free by Lulu Miller (NPR) At the age of 12, Martin developed a mysterious illness. Over the next 2 years, he progressively lost his ability to communicate, until, at age 14, he entered what his parents were told was a permanent vegetative state. Two years later he began to “wake up”; 10 years after that he was able to finally communicate again.
Death Over Dinner How we want to die represents the most important and costly conversation America isn’t having. In response, The Conversation Project has gathered dozens of healthcare and wellness leaders to cast an unflinching eye at end of life, and has created an uplifting interactive adventure that transforms this seemingly difficult conversation into one of deep engagement, insight and empowerment.
Dying Father has Last First Dance with Daughter by Gabe Gutierrez Video and short text - Rachel Wolf had always dreamed of her wedding - gown, makeup, guests, and family. When her father, Dr. James Wolf, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had only 3 months to live, she knew she had to find a way, groom or no groom, to have a first dance with him.
Culture of Dying - Justin Ritchie and Seth Moser-Katz interview Stephen Jenkinson Resilience.org interviews Stephen Jackson about our cultural difficulty with death and how to overcome it.
Choosing to Die After a Struggle with Life by Robin Marantz Henig Conclusion to the previous piece. A loved one’s struggle to match their dying partner’s resolve as they approach the end of life and determining a ‘good’ death.
A Life-or-Death Situation by Robin Marantz Henig A discussion of the inherently personal nature of the concept of the end of life and the decisions that occur along with it. A patient’s decision, a loved one’s struggle and where should healthcare fit in?
Hospitals and Families Still Struggle to Define Death by Maanvi Singh Death seems to be one of life’s few certainties...or is it? In this narrative, Maanvi Singh tells the story of the conflict surrounding a 13-year old girl and a 33 year old woman, both kept on life support while legally dead.