Death with Dignity

I have to applaud Masonicare of Ct. for establishing a six bed hospice unit at the center. Never has there been a time when this movement was more needed. Working in health care, I can assure you that we can keep people on life support for an inordinate amount of time. Such a long time in fact, that the ethics of the situation, favor more the right to die, than that of sustaining the physical vehicle. What we lack in this country is the return to faith amongst the medical community, and the protections needed to properly allow for an end to the souls use of its physical vehicle and return more closely to the Creator of all. Most MDs, abide by the mantra, that "life is the only game in town." This of course is not meant to minimize the dilemma, as a family member faced with the ultimate decision, at a critical moment in the loved ones struggles, is asked " Do you want us to intubate, or provide CPR."Death, is no longer viewed in a healthy manner, it is considered, apart from the continuum of life, apart from birth, which is merely its flip side. People are more afraid to die than ever, knowing that the hospitals and family may disregard their wishes and living wills, that is an affront to the individuals rights. Never mind that it is playing its part in bankrupting the country. Families are spread widely in this country, often it seems that the more distant the family is, the greater the desire to do everything possible to keep the loved ones body viable. Just think how illogical it is, that we are now fighting a host of antibiotic resistant organisms mostly because we are unable to have an ethically conclusive discussion on the right to die. Just goes to show, that faith and science have not been reconciled. How immature we continue to be as a nation, that it has taken a grassroots effort to move towards death with dignity, as the powers that be continue to hamper the effort. Give a person the chance to live, or give them a chance to die.