The Conversation Quotes

“What makes life worth living? What fears do you have about medical care? Are there circumstances in which you would find life not worth living? Do you have spiritual or religious beliefs that help guide your decisions?”
― Angelo E. Volandes, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“V roce 2009 byla v odborném časopise Supportive Care in Cancer publikována studie, v níž z jednašedesáti pacientů s rakovinou v terminálním stadiu bylo úspěšně resuscitováno pouze deset z nich, což představuje 11 % (úspěšností se zde myslí, že u nich došlo k obnovení srdečního tepu). Průměrná doba přežití u těchto pacientů byla tři hodiny. Žádný z nich se po resuscitaci neprobral z bezvědomí a žádný neopustil nemocnici živý.”
― Angelo E. Volandes, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“Dospěl jsem však k nevyhnutelnému objevu, který čeká každého doktora: při léčení lidí člověk pochopí, jak by sám nechtěl umírat.”
― Angelo E. Volandes, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“Pokud pacienti nedostanou možnost vést otevřený rozhovor o smrti, zůstane v nich často zbytečné trauma a jejich blízcí si odnášejí emoční zranění, protože se stali svědky přetechnizovaného umírání svých milovaných.”
― Angelo E. Volandes, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“Příprava na konec života není příliš lákavé téma na přemýšlení”
― Angelo E. Volandes, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“We see cancer patients battling death as valiant, and we think that if they try hard enough, they’ll beat it. In truth, cancer is an equal-opportunity killer and is impervious to moral virtues and emotional strength. No amount of courage increases a patient’s likelihood of survival. For every courageous patient who survives, there is another courageous patient who does not. Of course you’d never know that from popular media, where patients wage battle against cancer and win, and where almost everyone survives CPR and looks remarkably good hooked up to a breathing machine.”
― Bloomsbury Publishing, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“I believe it is crucial to be forthright and honest with my patients and their families. Too many of my colleagues have mastered the art of verbal subterfuge and obfuscation for fear of squelching hope or in order to avoid difficult discussions, but withholding information from patients and their families prevents them from making informed decisions.”
― Bloomsbury Publishing, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“Talking to patients is given short shrift in medical training. The focus of medical education is on technology and treatments; medicine is about doing, not talking. Communicating with patients, especially about end-of-life care, usually takes a backseat.”
― Bloomsbury Publishing, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care

“Disease may invade the bodies of patients, but the experience of illness devastates all those around them. Suffering demands that others bear witness, and family members are assigned front-row seats.”
― Bloomsbury Publishing, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care