3 ms·

We're talking about two separate issues here, and you're mixing them up. There's nothing in modern medicine that teaches you how to prepare for death, or how to

by zeteo 15y ago

We're talking about two separate issues here, and you're mixing them up. There's nothing in modern medicine that teaches you how to prepare for death, or how to balance an extra 1% chance of survival with the pain of chemo. Take comfort in philosophy, religion, go hold last lectures. But modern medicine can sure do a lot for some types of cancers that are caught in an early stage. There are lots of people out there who can benefit from this. These people are usually in a state of psychological vulnerability, and telling them anecdotes about how refusing chemo can turn out OK is about as nasty a thing as you can ever do to them.

nmcfarl 15y ago
There is plenty of this in modern medicine, as a matter of fact my wife is on a palliative care rotation in Med School right now, and this is a major focus. However it must be said that it seems that this bit is considered very 'newfangled' and touchy-feely by much of the medical community.
mkr-hn 15y ago
"There's nothing in modern medicine that teaches you how to prepare for death, or how to balance an extra 1% chance of survival with the pain of chemo. Take comfort in philosophy, religion, go hold last lectures." Sounds a lot like end of life counseling, which is part of modern medicine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-life_(medical_treatment) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-life_(medical_treatment...
- zeteo 15y ago
  That's "medications and treatments to control pain and other symptoms". It doesn't cover dealing with the philosophical issues.
  - mkr-hn 15y ago
    Read the rest of it. "Either way, services are available to help patients and their families with the medical, psychological, and spiritual issues surrounding dying." All that aside, the focus is on making the end of life comfortable, which would naturally involve that sort of thing. Modern medicine takes what works from traditional and otherwise, and counseling is part of it. There's a good saying: traditional medicine that works becomes modern medicine.
    - zeteo 15y ago
      > traditional medicine that works becomes modern medicine. This excludes the "help with spiritual issues" from being included within modern medicine, simply because there is no way to tell whether it works. The way the "help" probably works is that the hospital sets you in contact with a third party, since AFAIK medical school doesn't teach spiritual advice.
      - mkr-hn 15y ago
        Referrals are part of modern medicine.

by zeteo 15y ago

nmcfarl 15y ago

There is plenty of this in modern medicine, as a matter of fact my wife is on a palliative care rotation in Med School right now, and this is a major focus. However it must be said that it seems that this bit is considered very 'newfangled' and touchy-feely by much of the medical community.

mkr-hn 15y ago

"There's nothing in modern medicine that teaches you how to prepare for death, or how to balance an extra 1% chance of survival with the pain of chemo. Take comfort in philosophy, religion, go hold last lectures." Sounds a lot like end of life counseling, which is part of modern medicine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-life_(medical_treatment) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End-of-life_(medical_treatment...

zeteo 15y ago
That's "medications and treatments to control pain and other symptoms". It doesn't cover dealing with the philosophical issues.
- mkr-hn 15y ago
  Read the rest of it. "Either way, services are available to help patients and their families with the medical, psychological, and spiritual issues surrounding dying." All that aside, the focus is on making the end of life comfortable, which would naturally involve that sort of thing. Modern medicine takes what works from traditional and otherwise, and counseling is part of it. There's a good saying: traditional medicine that works becomes modern medicine.
  - zeteo 15y ago
    > traditional medicine that works becomes modern medicine. This excludes the "help with spiritual issues" from being included within modern medicine, simply because there is no way to tell whether it works. The way the "help" probably works is that the hospital sets you in contact with a third party, since AFAIK medical school doesn't teach spiritual advice.
    - mkr-hn 15y ago
      Referrals are part of modern medicine.