Reply #4: This reminded me of something:

[Sarah Ibarruri]

I'm a proponent of assisted suicide when someone wants it. BUT

He said these things:

"But an estimated 25% of Medicare dollars are spent on those in the last year of life, with medical procedures often rising in cost as health deteriorates."

and then said this:

"When I got word that my father had fallen and broken his hip after many years of heart failure and other major medical issues, part of me was ready to say that's it, let's let him go. But he's the type who would fight for every breath. What if the surgery, which he eventually underwent, keeps him breathing two more years in a state that he considers worth living, even if I wouldn't make the same choice for myself?"

A close member of my family is a doctor. Let's call him Dr. WhoCares. He is in his late 30s. He is physically fit, 30s is relatively young, and he is a GP. He is aware of the sad state of medicine in this country, and his views are not unlike Dr. Dorio's. He believes that excessive medical care goes into the elderly, and believes that needs to stop. He's strongly in favor of the elderly realizing their 'limitations' and being encouraged to refuse further medical care.

Needless to say, Dr. WhoCares' mother (of course also a member of my family) and I have decided we would rather be treated medically by a McDonald's burger fryer than by him, and have told him as much. Dr. WhoCare's own mother has given power of attorney to ME rather than him, should something happen to her.

What gives this Dr. Dorio (or Dr. WhoCares) the right to be convincing elderly people that they should want to exit this planet, simply because our health care is a mess? Who are *they* to push people into deciding to die? The frikkin' nerve these people just amazes me.

First, I'll betcha the money I have in the bank that Dr. Dorio and Dr. WhoCares, when they're older, will be first in line to be treated medically until their last breath. Usually people like this, are hypocrites par excellence.

Second, I understand that the elderly prove a tremendous challenge because they're weakened and their bodies are old, but if you're not cut out for the medical field and simply don't have patience or compassion for it, for chrissakes, don't go into it! Let someone with compassion go into it!

Third, if these doctors are so upset because the health system in this country is pure shit, why don't these doctors get involved in passing a single-payer system, so that our healthcare won't be the crap it is, instead of trying to send the elderly to the other side faster to save a buck?

Fourth, I despise the way people are fast-tracked into hospice. Fine, if someone is terminally ill, it's nice to have a place where nice girls smile a lot, provide pain killers, and prop up pillows, but far too many people are being fast-tracked into hospice.

Fifth, other countries take care of their elderly. Of course, other countries aren't car-nations, which are spread out and create a situation where no one can help anyone else. Why don't these doctors work on that, and push for better planned cities and towns, so that people aren't 15 miles from one another and wholly dependent upon the auto to even survive???

This issue just burns me up, really. Why are the elderly always thrown to the dogs???? I'm sick of it.