In January 2011, my 86-year-old beautiful, gracious, and coherent friend, June, decided it was time for hospice. She had leukemia and was not tolerating the radiation or chemotherapy treatments and saw no reason to prolong the suffering that would only get worse. She chose a lovely hospice close to one of her daughters. Her room had a private bath, a refrigerator, and courtyard views. Photographs of her deceased husband as well as her three children and five grandchildren filled every table surface. Her children brought lamps from June’s home to cast a warm light on her room along with a blender for her protein shakes.
Coincidentally, I was a volunteer in her hospice, and one day, I saw her name on the roster as I checked in. My heart skipped a beat. June! I knew she was ill but didn't know the severity. I stopped in her room. She shared with me that it was time and she was not afraid. She said that she sometimes felt dizzy; her heart would beat irregularly, and she felt a bit of discomfort. Initially, she thought to call the nurse. With a smile, she told me that she then remembered that she was ready to die. She told no one about her symptoms. Her fear of continuing life in this situation exceeded her fear of dying.
In "The Best Care Possible: A Physician's Quest to Transform Care Through the End of Life", physician and author Ira Brock wrote, "Even a person who decides to forgo treatment does not necessarily choose death. Rather, he chooses life without the burden of disproportionate medical intervention.” June knew that more treatment did not mean better care or a better life. She chose her death by not artificially extending her life. Not to choose is a choice. June decided on the surroundings where her death would take place. She had the comfort of being blessed by her priest and said her goodbyes to her family and friends.
June was fortunate that she was one of the approximately 41% of all Medicare patients who received hospice care in 2011. By 2018, the percentage grew by ten percent and is steadily growing.
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