Humanities, Ethics, and Professionalism: “Scree” The poem, “Scree,” by Alan Shapiro is quite emotion evoking and one of the saddest poems I have read. This paper analyses the poem while linking it to our class readings, including; Eric Cassell’s “The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine,” Francis Peabody’s “The Care of the Patient,” and Barbara Rosenblum’s “Living in an Unstable Body.” To begin with, “Scree” deals with the experiences of disease and dying. The acute degree of suffering experienced by the patient in the poem seems to echo those of Rosenblum’s (1991) piece, “Living in an Unstable Body.” However, while “Scree” is written from the voice of what appears to be a healthy loved one to the patient, “Living in an Unstable …show more content…
Body” is written from the patient’s own voice. Whereas the persona in “Scree” is sympathizing with his/her sick friend, who was at the point of death, Rosenblum is describing her own condition and the suffering she had undergone in her fight against breast cancer. Despite the differences in the voices, parallels can be observed in their experience of illness.
In “Scree,” Shapiro describes the suffering and psychological turmoil of the everyday experience of illness. Illness is always considered unpleasant and whenever one falls ill, pursuit of healing through medicine is almost automatic. Patients find comfort and hope in the doctor’s prescription yet the real cure and healing is at times not even available. As illness progress, more and more medicine is sought to a point where as Shapiro says, it becomes impossible “to keep them all straight.” Just like the patient in the poem had to take a series of medications, Rosenbulm (129) says she had her own series of prescriptions to take: chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. However, even as death approaches, when cure is no longer an option, patients commonly resist death. As long as the medicine is available, patients hope for a future. From the patient described by the persona in the poem, it is evident that the patient, even at their point of death has a lot of faith in the doctor’s prescription and tries as much as possible not to miss any of their pills, which is the only hope they have for a …show more content…
future. From the poem, we can also pick out that everyday suffering affects the normal functionality and lifestyle of the sick. Physical suffering cripples patients’ normal activities and it may even immobilize one to a bed or a machine for support. The persona for instance, writes that the patient’s body had been “thinned to a machine” and all he could do was clutch the guardrail with his gaunt hand. It also appears that the patient’s condition had deteriorated to the point where the patient was in a lot of pain, and although he tried to moan, it was difficult for him and all he could manage was to “whimper far back in the throat.” The eyes had also become blind. Such patients are fully dependent on others for their basic needs, and this can further add to the suffering being experienced by the patient. The poem, further describes that illness is often a communal problem affecting not only the sick but also those close to them. Likewise, Rosenblum’s suffering affected others, especially Sandy her partner (Rosenbulm 1991). As the patients struggle with their suffering, their close loved ones also undergo their own suffering. For instance, the persona was forced to keep vigil and attend to the patient and even when he wanted to sleep it was difficult not to think of the patient who was crying for attention. Considering the nature of suffering, and the fact that patients suffering often have communal reach, I feel that doctors should pay close attention to the suffering of patients’ loved ones.
In Shapiro’s poem, the person expressed how his loved one’ suffering had turned to cause him pain as well. The persona was disturbed by the patients suffering and pain to a point of lacking sleep. In the piece, “The Care of the Patient,” by Pearbody (1927), he says that doctors should aim at developing an intimate relationship with their patients, including knowing the patients right from their home surroundings. This is the first step towards learning the conditions of the patients’ loved ones and understanding how best to help them in their suffering. However, minding the suffering of the patient’s loved ones does not mean that doctors owe anything to them. Doctors should only give their best, treating patients from their hearts. A doctor should, however, always tell the truth to both patients and their loved ones even when healing is not an option. If no cure is available, doctors should instead of giving false hopes to patients and their loved one, try to prepare them to accept death as an unavoidable eventuality. This according to me, can relieve some of the unnecessary fear and
anxiety. Picking from the poem, we learn that suffering extends beyond the biological body and deserves close attention. At this point, one cannot help but appreciate Eric Cassell’s words regarding, “The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine.” According to Cassell, suffering exhibit itself not only in physical pain, but also psychologically and doctors have an obligation to both cure diseases as well as relieve pain (Casell, 1982, p.639). It is therefore upon doctors to understand fully the source of suffering to be able to offer the right prescription. Cassell adds that failure to understand the nature and source of pain can lead to the inability to relieve pain and suffering and can also lead to further suffering. Cassel (1982) also writes that suffering can be caused by the treatment itself, where patients develop utmost hope in getting well following the prescription and treatment given, only for things to turn out differently. Sometimes suffering induced by treatment result from side effects, some of which come as a shock to the patients, and others that are expected. In the light of suffering due to treatment, doctors should be careful to learn that the physical human body is separable from the mind and doctors interacting with patients should address the needs of each. It is meeting the needs with the mind that is challenging, since it is not under the domain that scientific medicine can reach (Casell, 1982, 640). Doctors therefore ought to have some tact of addressing spirituality matters that might, at times, be the cause of suffering. Cultural and social norms are other important aspects that contribute to suffering. This determines whether a patient is accepted or considered foul, and whether they are pitied or censured. In instances a patient is neglected and not given attentive care, there are greater risks of further suffering. Doctors have a role to play in addressing any source of post-traumatic disorder associated with suffering that extends beyond the biological body. Whenever cure is not an option, doctors should focus more on addressing the patients’ spirituality. In such situations, doctors should be truthful with the patients in helping them to understand exactly the degree of their suffering. By comforting the patients, they are able to save them the unnecessary suffering from anxieties. Towards the end of the Shapiro’s poem, one thing is clear; the patient was not ready to die. The persona says that the patient kept looking up, and whimpering as if he resisted death whose reality was fast approaching. Considering these conditions, I feel that the patient did not die a “good death.” Though the persona remained close to the patient as death approached, it is evident that the persona failed to offer the essential needed emotional comfort to the dying patient. The persona, even says that he felt exhausted by taking care of the patient and as the poem concludes, he says he wished for the patient to stop resisting death. I believe both the patient and the persona could have benefited from hospice care.
While the majority of the book critiques the healthcare system, Chapter 13 focuses more on key actions and personality traits that help Dr. Stone relate to patients. Although this noteworthy, compassionate physician attempts to develop an understanding of his patients’ values and goals, he still fails Mrs. Jackson by trying to retain cultural competency by tiptoeing around end-of-life decisions. Conversations about feeding tube placement and DNR orders could have minimized Mrs. Jackson’s unnecessary
The Dying of the Light is an article by Dr. Craig Bowron that captures the controversy surrounding the role of medication in prolonging life. The author describes that many medical advancements have become a burden to particularly elderly patients who in most instances are ready to embrace the reality of death. Dr. Bowron believes that dying in these modern times has become a tiring and unnatural process. “Everyone wants to grow old and die in his or her sleep, but the truth is most of us will die in pieces,” Bowron notes (Bowron). The article does not advocate for euthanasia or the management of health care costs due to terminal or chronic illness. Bowron faults humanity for not embracing life and death with dignity as it was in the past. He blames the emergence of modern medical advances and democracy as the sole reason why everyone is pursuing immortality or prolonging of life rather than embracing the natural course of things. The article is very articulate and comes out rather persuasive to its target audience that happens to be health-conscious. Craig Bowron uses effective rhetorical strategies such as logos, ethos, and pathos to pass on his message. The article’s credibility is impeccable due to the author’s authority in health matters as he is a hospital-based internist. A better placed individual to dissect this issue by analyzing his experiences in the healthcare profession. The article incorporates a passionate delivery that appeals to the readers’ hopes, opinions, and imagination.
The very beginning of the article, Dr. Khullar appeals to the emotions of a reader, reminiscing about an interaction between himself and a dying patient. He explains how the patient had no one to call and would die alone, causing himself to think that “the sadness of his death was surpassed only by the sadness of his solitude” (Khullar). The feeling of sadness and loneliness is continued using other scenarios that one likely is familiar with, such as “a young man abandoned by friends as he struggles with opioid addiction” or “an older woman getting by on tea and toast, living in filth, no longer able to clean her cluttered apartment” (Khullar). Dr. Khullar also uses this strategy through the use of various phrases such as “barren rooms devoid of family or friends,” or a quote from a senior: “Your world dies before you do” (Khullar). These scenarios and terminology evoke a feeling within a reader that results in acknowledgement of the material and what is being
The PBS Frontline documentary Being Mortal focuses on doctors and their patients who are dealing with chronic illness and nearing the end of their life. It investigates how some doctors are ill-equipped to talk about chronic illness and death with their patients and how this can lead to a lesser quality of life at the end of life stage for patients. In this documentary, we followed Dr. Atul Gawade on his journey to educate himself and others about the difficult emotional aspects of dying. The director, Thomas Jennings, along with Dr. Gawade, created a fantastic documentary about how it is important for doctors to talk to dying patients about their mortality. This was effectively done by offering experiences and interviews from doctors and their patients, by following the declining path of the patient, and by showing the real life emotion of the patients, families and doctors working through to the end.
For countless years there has always been an urgent need for doctors. Different methods would be used to cure people from their sicknesses. However, life is given by God and it is he who can take it away. Doctors play the role of saving lives, but in the end, they are powerless because nature has to take its course leaving humanity at its limits. In Vincent Lams novel “Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures”, Lam challenges the myth that doctors are omnipotent by contending that “medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability”. Using Fitzgerald as a focal point, Lam debunks the myth that doctors are omnipotent through situations of medical failure, having a loss of power and control and by inhabiting deadly diseases. By showings his mistakes, Lam proves that Fitz is not perfect and God like.
The poems facilitate the investigation of human experience through illustrating life’s transience and the longevity of memory.
The flow and organization of the topics are structured chronologically and easy for readers to have a clear depiction of the progression of the book. He explains and elaborates his ideas and assumptions on struggles with morality, through real voices of patients and his own personal encounter. The first few topics were lighthearted, more on procedural terms such as the demographics of care in the United States and India and the evolution of care. This heightens to themes that are close to one’s heart as he uncovers the relationship amongst medicine, patient, and the family. It also deliberates on the concerns after medicine becomes impotent and society is ill-equipped for the aging population, which highlight the decisions and conversations one should or might have pertaining to death. He makes
The practice of medicine is both beautiful and dangerous. It is known for its power of healing and innovation. However, it can also cause damage by medicalizing and simplifying very sensitive, complex topics. In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande explores the nature and process of death, including the precious, limited time leading to it. Gawande gives light to the fact that because of pharmaceuticals and modern technologies, people in their last stages of life often focus on hope, rather than recognizing the bitter reality. Also, Gawande describes the importance of different care facilities, such as hospice, and their role in helping the critically ill. Unfortunately, it often seems that the focus is not on the ill and their wishes, but rather the
In his book, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Tracy Kidder reports the journey of Dr. Paul Farmer in providing health care for everyone including those that cannot afford it. At one point, Farmer is not in Haiti and must entrust the care of a patient, John, to one of his workers, Serena Koenig. Farmer left important decisions up to Koenig despite not having as much experience; Koenig is able to obtain treatment for John in Boston where he passes away (Kidder 2003). Had Farmer not trusted Koenig enough to deal with John, it is possible that he would have passed away suffering to the very last moments of his life. In situations where a health care professional is away, he or she must entrust colleagues with the care of the patients. After the situation with John, Kidder confronts Farmer on whether or not Koenig had made the correct decision to spend resources on easing the death of a patient. Farmer responds that he has, “fought the long defeat and brought other people on to fight the long defeat” (p. 288). Farmer attempts to convince that fighting for patients no matter the cost is the essential belief of Partners in Health. In this case, Kidder began to mistrust that Farmer was making the most logical decisions, so Farmer clarified his beliefs in providing health care. Clearly, Farmer is evidence that fellow team members in the health profession will not completely trust one another. However, by placing faith in one another, doctor’s can work as a team to treat patients like
“If a physician of high standing, and one’s own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression—a slight hysterical tendency—what is one to do? . . .So I take phosphates or phosphites—whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to “work” until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas” (Gilman 545). In this passage the narrator is using very descriptive and vivid lines to show her dissatisfaction with her husband’s authoritative and anarchy behavior, how her medical situation is used to serve as an impediment towards her movements and her accomplishment. She wants to be free and engaged in everyday activities like every normal person but she is denied of these things by her own husband who assures everyone that everything is all right. She is in strong opposition to such treatment and but her opinion means nothing to him and she has no power to even constructively contribute to her treatment. The narrator is also seen in a position wherein she is told not to worry about her si...
“As physicians have always their instruments and knives ready for cases which suddenly require their skill, so do you have principles ready for the understanding of things divine and human, and for doing everything, even the smallest, while remembering the bond which unites the divine and human to one another. For you will not do anything well affecting humans without at the same time referring to things divine; or the contrary.”
‘Being Mortal’ was a fascinating read about a young man who grows in the understanding of death and dying and what matters most in the end. We all have constraints and no matter how well we take care of ourselves and live our life, death comes to us all; and how we meet that end can be very different depending on how we want to spend the last moments of our journey. Medical science has its power and pushes the boundaries of life and death, but it can’t always save you, it won’t always work out the way that you hope it does. Doctors like Atul Gawande struggle to fix everyone’s problem and cure the patients who come into the hospital; but as the book progresses Atul finds that there are ways to handle patients’ lives and it doesn’t always involve
Pain and suffering is something that we all would like to never experience in life, but is something that is inevitable. “Why is there pain and suffering in the world?” is a question that haunts humanity. Mother Teresa once said that, “Suffering is a gift of God.” Nevertheless, we would all like to go without it. In the clinical setting, pain and suffering are two words that are used in conjunction. “The Wound Dresser,” by Walt Whitman and “The Nature of Suffering and Goals of Medicine,” by Eric J Cassel addresses the issue of pain and suffering in the individual, and how caregivers should care for those suffering.
the poet is trying to portray the fragility of a life, as it is created with the intent to be lost (death
The subject of death and dying is a common occurrence in the health care field. There are many factors involved in the care of a dying patient and various phases the patient, loved ones and even the healthcare professional may go through. There are many controversies in health care related to death, however much of it roots from peoples’ attitudes towards it. Everyone handles death differently; each person has a right to their own opinions and coping mechanisms. Health care professionals are very important during death related situations; as they are a great source of support for a patient and their loved ones. It is essential that health care professionals give ethical, legal and honest care to their patients, regardless of the situation.