Can You Imagine?

Each day that I work,  I am realizing that despite all our plans and hopes to have a wonderful long life,  sometimes, (it seems often for me) life throws a big curveball to many good people. This week and last, I cared for 2 people that had just been diagnosed with Lou Gerhigs disease or ALS.  Now, this is not your run-of-the-mill disease.  The fact that both of these people had just been told they had a terminal disease…well, it broke my heart, and I know it was a terrible parcel of news for both of them.  Just think:  What if you’d been told you have a disease that has no treatment and no cure?

But still, this is real, and they need to know that they will be comfortable until the end.  As a professional, I suggested that they talk with our Palliative Care Team to find out how they could help alleviate the symptoms and keep them comfortable.  I sat with both of them, and we discussed this and why it would be of help.  And at the end, they could transition into Hospice, so that they did not suffer with breathing difficulties.  Since we cannot change the disease why not help them to pick options now so that they, and their families know who to call for assistance?  We should be able to direct a good death as well as a good life.

These are real-life examples of the fact that we cannot control or predict our future.  And it also reminds me that planning for the end in a very specific way can create at least some piece of mind.  So I encourage you to sit down and discuss What ifs? with your family.  Be open and honest and consider that we may be the next one that gets the bad news…or the one that ends up seriously ill or injured in an ICU.  None of this is nice to discuss, but it is reality.