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Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

by: Joanne Lynn; Joan Harrold; The Center to Improve Care of the Dying

Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

by: Joanne Lynn; Joan Harrold; The Center to Improve Care of the Dying

ISBN 13:
9780195146011
ISBN 10:
0195146018
Format: Paperback
Copyright: 10/25/2001
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
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Summary

This guide warmly addresses those who wish to approach the final years of life with a greater awareness of what to expect and how to make the most of it with growth, comfort and reflection. Illustrations.

Foreword

xiii

Rosalynn Carter

Introduction

(4)

Living With Serious Illness

(10)

Am I ``living with'' or ``dying of''?

How we die -- then and now

Practice, practice, practice

Planning for uncertainty

The power of words

Not particularly interested in dying...

Decisions to make, decisions to wait

No one ``right way''

Enduring and Changing

(12)

Mourning your losses

Seeing yourself more clearly

Coping with changes in appearance

Taking care of yourself

Setting realistic goals

About relationships

Life is changing, but...

Finding Meaning

(12)

Religion and relationships

Meaning and loss

Chaplains and others who can help

Helping Family Make Decisions and Give Care

(8)

Families deciding together

Family caregiving

How can a caregiver know if things are out of control?

What to do when the caregiver is overwhelmed

How do you find support groups?

Is there anything good about caregiving?

Getting the Help You Need

(10)

How to find help and advice

Call your local Office on Aging

Getting the help of a case manager

When your family needs a break

Getting your wishes followed at home

When you have help in your home

What to do when things don't go well

A guide to settings and services

How do I pay for these services?

Talking With Your Doctor

(14)

Know what you should expect from your doctor

Getting the most out of each visit with your doctor

Talking with your doctor -- special situations

When you are hesitant to ask questions

Controlling Pain

(14)

Types of pain

Choosing the right pain medicine

Different ways to take pain medicine

Doses of pain medicine

A few rules about pain management

How often to take pain medicine

Fear of addiction

Side effects of pain medications

More medications that relieve pain

Managing Other Symptoms

(8)

``I feel very short of breath, as if I just can't breathe.''

``I just can't eat.''

``What are bed sores and how can I prevent them?''

``I want to stay awake; there's so much yet to do.''

``Some people are so depressed, but I'm just so anxious.''

``Should I be worried about getting confused or just being `out of it'?''

``Remind me -- can anything good happen?''

Learning About Specific Illnesses

(26)

How long do I have?

Heart disease

Cancer

Lung disease: emphysema and chronic bronchitis

Kidney failure

Liver failure

HIV/AIDS

Dementia

Dying while very old

Planning Ahead

119

(10)

``Why should I make plans now?''

``How can I be sure my choices will be followed?''

``What else matters with advance directives?''

``I had a living will in Ohio and now I'm in Florida. Do I need a new one?''

``What about planning for where to live when I am more disabled?''

``What about planning my finances?''

``Why do I need someone to speak for me?''

``My mother had a living will but the doctor ignored it. Is this common?''

``Is it legal to refuse life-sustaining treatment?''

``What else should I plan for?''

``All of this is sort of depressing, isn't it?''

Forgoing Medical Treatment

129

(10)

Thinking about the issues

Stopping treatment

Time-limited trials

When food seems like love

The benefits of dehydration at the end of life

Tube feeding and the dementia patient

Artificial feeding and the permanently unconscious patient

Choosing to stop eating and drinking

Decisions about ventilators

Decisions about resuscitation

The many meanings of ``DNR''

Other decisions to forgo treatments

Hastening Death

139

(10)

Considering suicide: When you just can't face another day

``I want to spare my family.''

``I want to be sure to die comfortably. Wouldn't suicide be a guarantee?''

``Don't the laws now allow physician-assisted suicide?''

``What about Oregon?''

``What are some of the arguments against legalizing physician-assisted suicide?''

``What arguments support physician-assisted suicide?''

``I don't trust doctors.''

``Outside of Oregon, is there any physician-assisted suicide?''

Coping With Events Near Death

149

(12)

``How will I know when death is getting close?''

``What should family and friends do when death is close?''

``Is it important to be there at the moment of death?''

``How does a family member know that the person has died?''

``What happens then?''

``Can family keep some information out of the obituary?''

``How long can one wait before burial or cremation?''

``Can family know what was learned in an autopsy before burial or cremation?''

``How does a family follow religious and other important traditions?''

``What does one do at a `viewing' or at `visiting hours'?''

``Are there things that must be done right after the burial or cremation?''

The Dying of Children

161

(10)

Infants

Sudden causes of childhood death

Fatal chronic illness with intact intellect

Rare disorders

Disorders with impaired consciousness

Conclusion

Dying Suddenly

171

(8)

Violence

Accidents

Natural disasters

Suicide

Multiple deaths

During chronic illness or recuperation

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Some special issues -- police, autopsy, and organ donation

Sudden death

Enduring Loss

179

(16)

Grieving your own dying

Telling your story

The cycle of grief

Experiencing grief -- family and loved ones

Living with loss of a loved one

Music and mourning

Do children grieve?

Children's understanding of death: what to expect and how to help

What do you do to comfort a child?

Reinvesting in life after the loss of someone you love

Additional Resources

195

(25)

Contents

Issue-specific

Diseases

General information and resources for reform

Personal resources

Acknowledgments

220

(9)

Index

229

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

9780195146011

0195146018

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

Amazon no longer offers textbook rentals. We do!

Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

Handbook for Mortals : Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness

9780195146011

0195146018

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Write a Review

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