Catherine Gregg
Professor LeVan
THE 4401
March 2, 2014
Critical Analysis “Wit”
The play “Wit” was the first play that was written by Margaret Edson. This specific production of Wit was first produced on October 31, 1997 in New Haven, Connecticut by Long Wharf Theatre. The following September is was produced by MCC, in New York. On January 7th of the following year (1999) it was produced by MCC Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, and at Union Square Theatre in New York City. Although, the actors in the production were different it still maintained the main characters including Vivian, Dr. Kelekian, Jason, Susie, E.M. Ashford, lab technicians, code team members, students, and residents.
Although Edson’s’ current occupation was a teacher at an elementary school, she was previously employed at a research hospital in the cancer and AIDS unit. While working in a research hospital Edson most likely witnessed many things that would be considered inappropriate and degrading. Her experience with working with individuals who suffered from the chronic illnesses such as cancer and AIDS was most likely the focus of the creation of “Wit”. Most of the play took place in a hospital room at the University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center. The conflict at the heart of this play is the low quality of care and the lack of genuine concern for patients in hospital settings. The script between pages 8-17 prove that the quality of care that many of the staff offers in this specific cancer hospital is not provided out of concern for the patient. Throughout the entire production of “Wit” lack of communication and professionalism, disrespect, and inappropriate and degrading actions of the staff at the cancer hospital is abundantly apparent in every scene inc...
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...he also, expresses rude gestures as she complains that she has to go find Vivian a chair. Many times the personality of an individual can be evident by their facial expressions and body gestures.
Although Vivian lived a life as a harsh individual, approaching death is a frightening time. Vivian should have been treated with more respect, professionalism, better communication, and with dignity. I believe that she could have had a better outcome in her recovery process even through the fatality of her illness she would have at least died in peace and dignity. Although Vivian didn’t have anyone that could help mindfully guide her through her decisions regarding her diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for recovery the staff at the hospital should have been more concerned about advocating for her than they were with being concerned with using her for research.
The one example of this that I found most relevant in the book is the situation of Armando. Armando was shot and the bullet lodged in the spinal canal. It caused enough damage to make him a paraplegic, but not enough to kill him. The ethics committee had decided that it was best to encompass a DNR because he had no health insurance, and his quality of life was not what it was before. When the doctors went to approve this with Armando, he denied the DNR and said that he wanted what ever was necessary to be done to him to save his life (Belkin p. 58-59). This made Cindy worried for the cost of keeping him alive was substantial. All the doctors and caretakers believed that he should be placed under DNR, however that was not what Armando wanted. The doctors believed that was the wrong decision. This correlates to what the quote was from the book on page 70; doctors can tend to be narrow-minded when it comes to the care of a patient. They believe that their course of action is the best and do not agree if the patient wants something different. This I have found is also true in my own personal experience with doctors. For example, when I was about 17 my wisdom teeth were growing in. I was in terrible pan from two of my wisdom teeth being impacted. My
Diane was a patient of Dr. Timothy Quill, who was diagnosed with acute myelomonocytic leukemia. Diane overcame alcoholism and had vaginal cancer in her youth. She had been under his care for a period of 8 years, during which an intimate doctor-patient bond had been established. It was Dr. Quill’s observation that “she was an incredibly clear, at times brutally honest, thinker and communicator.” This observation became especially cogent after Diane heard of her diagnosis. Dr. Quill informed her of the diagnosis, and of the possible treatments. This series of treatments entailed multiple chemotherapy sessions, followed by a bone marrow transplant, accompanied by an array of ancillary treatments. At the end of this series of treatments, the survival rate was 25%, and it was further complicated in Diane’s case by the absence of a closely matched bone-marrow donor. Diane chose not to receive treatment, desiring to spend whatever time she had left outside of the hospital. Dr. Quill met with her several times to ensure that she didn’t change her mind, and he had Diane meet with a psychologist with whom she had met before. Then Diane complicated the case by informing Dr. Quill that she be able to control the time of her death, avoiding the loss of dignity and discomfort which would precede her death. Dr. Quinn informed her of the Hemlock Society, and shortly afterwards, Diane called Dr. Quinn with a request for barbiturates, complaining of insomnia. Dr. Quinn gave her the prescription and informed her how to use them to sleep, and the amount necessary to commit suicide. Diane called all of her friends to say goodbye, including Dr. Quinn, and took her life two days after they met.
She was a 29 year old newlywed with a terminal brain tumor that lived in California. After learning about her tumor she had several procedures done to attempt to stop the progression of the growth of the tumor. Unfortunately, not only did the tumor not slow down, it actually became more aggressive. The doctors gave Brittany six months to live. The doctors presented her with options of treatment where the hair of her scalp would be singed off and her head left with first-degree burns, among others. She had to weigh her options and determine her quality of life. Her and her husband came to the difficult conclusion that there was no treatment that would save her life and all the treatments that were suggested to her would destroy the quality of the time she had left. She did not want to put her family through the nightmare of watching her decline and suffer on hospice and so she decided that death with dignity is what she wanted to
...overtaken her body and the family know how much care Deana will need. By placing Deana in a nursing home where she can get the care she needed, I could only imagine that the decisions from the family were very challenging. Caring for Deana probably was a lot on some or most of the family member. So being honest about the care she needed, the decision made about placement in the nursing home was the best decision they made and in her best interest.
Until this century, it was rare that brain-dead patients could be kept alive for long periods of time. However, as technological prowess has increased, it has recently become possible to keep a patient alive without higher brain functioning for years and even decades. But, as is always the case with new technology and knowledge, previously unknown ethical issues arise, and thus we have the difficult ethical problems of the Karen Ann Quinlan case.
...t and patients who were steered into the study were not smart enough to realize what was happening. Ms. Evers had a major part in this research and could have done something about it but never did, even though she knew it was wrong. Out of the 412 African Americans in the study by 1972 there were only 127 left, which had not died yet from syphilis. Mr. Evers knew what she was doing and felt completely guilty and sorry for what she had done. She said, “Nursing was my life” and she was “doing the best she could.” Nurse Evers tried the best that she could do without loosing her job, but in the end what she was doing and withholding all information from patients she was ethically wrong. Eunice Evers may have done various unethically things but she stated, “I loved those men, they were susceptible to kindness and I gave them all that I could (Miss Evers’ Boys, 1997).”
Though there are several patients featured, the story centers around Cody Curtis, a woman who was diagnosed with liver cancer. At 56, she is a beautiful woman who doesn’t appear to be sick. She seems healthy and happy. However she is in constant pain and is suffering greatly. She is given a diagnosis of only six months left to live and sets a date to choose to die. She has complete control over when she will die. She can make peace with those around her and complete her life before she dies. She says that death with dignity won’t be easy, but it would be easier than the alternatives. However, she outlives her diagnosis and her quality of life continues to improve. When things take a turn for the worst, she decides to end her
In “ Sounding Board Death and Dignity, A Case of Individualized Decision Making” by Timothy E. Quill talks about a patient of his named Diane. An ordinary person but has struggled with alcoholism and depression. Quill then, with vigorous testes, finds out she has acute leukemia. Now knowing this, Quill and other doctors advised Diane about undergoing treatment as soon as possible. But she refused and just wanted to go home and be with her family. Though at this time she was not experiencing any suffering as ...
Gabrielle Saveri. "An ethicist insists patients need help living, not dying." People May 1995. Vol. 43
This essay will be evaluating the question: how did language and communication play a role in shaping what happened to Lia? Also, it will look at if Fadiman points out ways in which communication practices between doctors and patients could be improved. These were important in the book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, because they shaped what would happen to Lia in the end. The evidence we will look at will include the facts that the doctors and the Lees couldn’t understand each other, the hospitals didn’t have enough interpreters for everyone, and that the Lees did not trust hospitals or doctors in the first place because of their culture.
Margaret Edson explores an unpopular theme (redemption) using the changes in the character of the protagonist, Dr. Bearing. After her ovarian cancer diagnoses, she realizes that she lives an incomplete life with excess devotion to her career and academics and less regard for humanity. She faces heart breaking loneliness that makes her regret the fact that she listened to and followed her English professor’s advice that scholars are unsentimental. Margaret Edson’s “W; t”, therefore, has a thematic bias on the redemption of Dr. Bearing as she tries to emerge from her arrogant self and shed her unsociable character. Dr. Bearing interacts with two contrasting characters in the play that leads her to a state of self realization making her change for the best.
Instead of caring for her, they learned from her. In one scene, around four medical students were all touching her stomach at once while trying to learn more about her disease. On the other hand, the nurses are there to care for the paitent. The only one in the film who was ever nice to Vivian was her nurse, Susan Monahan. In order for a hospital to function, there needs to be physicans, nurses, and an administration team. The nurses are there to make sure the patients remain emotionally and physically stable. Susan Monahan simply kept Vivian company. Whenever Vivian was nauseaus or felt overwhelemed with coming to terms with the illness, Susan would make sure to comfort her. She took the time to get to know her personally, and was the first to know that Vivian did not wish to be resisitated when her heart stopped beating. This was a very difficult decision that Vivian had to make, yet it was what she
Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman, discovers she has brain cancer. She looks back on her full life; traveling the world, teaching orphans overseas, climbing mountains, falling in love, and getting married. So young, but has experienced so much joy. Now, she looks ahead at the future. “Diagnosed with a rapidly growing brain tumor, Maynard says she faces a debilitating, painful and certain death.” (Luscombe 1). Treatment for this aggressive dark matter can extend her life to a median survival of 14.6 months, 30% may live up to two years. After doing her research, she chooses to not spend the next year battling the inevitable outcome of death. She chooses to face “death with dignity.” Susan Trossman refers to Maynard in
Several ethical principles that are incorporated in the nursing care of patients on a daily basis are nonmalificence, autonomy, beneficence, justice, fidelity and paternalism. Nurses should strive to comply to as many of the principles as possible. In this case there are principles which support and conflict with the wishes of the patient. The first principle that supports the wish of the patient is autonomy. Autonomy means that competent patients have the right to make decisions for themselves and the delivery of the healthcare that they receive. Another factor that would support the patient’s wish to not be resuscitated is nonmalificence. Non maleficence means that nurses should not cause harm or injury to their patients. In this case the likelihood of injury after resuscitation was greater than if the patient were allowed to expire. A principle that could have negatively affected the outcome of the provision of ethical care was paternalism. Paternalism is when a healthcare provider feels that they know what is best for a patient, regardless of the patient’s desire for their own care. I demonstrated the principle of paternalism because I thought that I knew what was best for the patient without first consulting with the patient or family. This situation might have had some very negative consequences had the patient not have been competent. Practicing a paternalistic mindset might have caused a practitioner in the same instance to force their ideas about not resuscitating the loved one onto the family. This could have caused a sense of remorse and loss of control of care amongst the
...it as long as she could. She did not want to go through treatments. She was found dead in the nurses’ station on the fifth floor of the hospital. She hung herself with an extension cord. The note found in her pocket said, “I hope a cure is on its way for those that are still here.” She left through the chute that I now walk through. Michelle and Shirley became ill shortly after that. They tried the traditional treatments and then the experimental treatments. They were not strong enough to make it, and died while having surgery. I am one of the lucky ones. I am still here. I have seen too much death for one person. I am still glad that I took this job years ago, but as I walk down the hill I know that my life will never be the same. I get into my car and never look back. I hope someday that they make a memorial of this place in honor of lives lost.