Thank you for a really thought-provoking, and helpful, article. It takes me back 30 years to my first year out of med school (UK). On call overnight looking after a ward of patients with heart failure and/or COPD, many of them on diamorphine pumps. And then you'd get a call by the nurse in charge asking you to increase the dose to relieve their distress, knowing full well that you were hastening their end. Back then we had no such considered discussions, which probably explains why we managed it with morbid and often inappropriate humour.
Thank you for a really thought-provoking, and helpful, article. It takes me back 30 years to my first year out of med school (UK). On call overnight looking after a ward of patients with heart failure and/or COPD, many of them on diamorphine pumps. And then you'd get a call by the nurse in charge asking you to increase the dose to relieve their distress, knowing full well that you were hastening their end. Back then we had no such considered discussions, which probably explains why we managed it with morbid and often inappropriate humour.
Thanks for reading!
I discuss gallows humor here, if you're interested: https://familymeetingnotes.substack.com/p/its-just-a-joke
Another great post Joshua. I look forward to Part 2.
I'm struck that we both published posts using Caspar David Friedrich's paintings on the same day.
Thank you.
I saw that! Something in the air...