Leslie's Omnibus

Drive-Bys

After reading this review, this has shot straight to the top of my reading wish list:


Given my already expensive reading habit, however, I'm going to wait for the paperback edition.
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Ear Worm of the Day:



Yeah. It'll be a while before I get that one shaken loose.
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No, I won't be going to this paean to Oprah's enormous ego. Yuck.
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Saw this article on the benefit of end of life discussions, and was glad in the case discussed the doctors were sensitive in their handling.

My family was lucky, because both the Princess Mom and Darling Daddy had had those conversations with their attorneys... and with us... years before it became necessary to implement them with their medical caregivers.

Here's my problem with Medicare paying doctors to have these conversations with their aging patients -- some medicos have a huge sense of superiority and the bedside manner of a turnip. We met some wonderful docs and some real arrogant assholes in the course of both my parents' illnesses. Would I have wanted a doctor who walked in, checked vitals, grunted, whipped off some notes on the chart, tossed it on the end of the bed and stomped out of the room without speaking a word or actually making eye contact with the patient having a discussion requiring sensitivity and nuance be paid to deliver "the chat"? Nope. The good guys? Yep. But Medicare doesn't discriminate between the two.

I'm concerned that people who are in a delicate state of health may be coerced into making choices they really don't want because they're steam-rolled by what they consider an authority figure. It already happens far more often than you'd like to think.

Personally, I'm going to fix this for myself by having a chat with my attorney soon and laying it all out, then make sure my family knows my wishes and where the pertinent documents are for when and if they need them. I'd rather do it now, while I'm healthy and of sound mind, than lay the burden on my family later. I've seen the best and the worst and I know what I want.

Do yourself a favor and do the same, if you haven't already done it. Save Medicare the expense, while you're at it.
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Got Aquanet? Looks like we're gonna need it again. Yeesh. It was scary hair then, and it's scary hair now.
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This is why I call him Chicken Little.
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Giggle of the Day Honors Ragweed Season:

Gazoontite!
see more dog and puppy pictures
Leslie

3 comments:

Jay said...

Baum was fascinating, based on the TV movie Dreamer of Oz that I saw years ago. Didn't hit the review link, but even without, I assume it'd be a cool book.

Harper said...

How coincidental - my teenager coerced me into dragging out the high school yearbook yesterday, so we could gawk at the big hair. I used to buy Aquanet by the gallon at a beauty supply store, to refill my spray bottle. Mile high hair!

JihadGene said...

Loved the ear worm looong time!!!