I read this wonderful, off beat, book which deals with very important phase of our lives. The book gives us insight into making choices when you are faced with tough questions which do not have easy answers. In fact this book must be read by those who have aged parents as well as those who are moving towards last phase of there lives when slow denigration of our bodily faculties sets in. The book mostly deals with healthcare system of USA which has little relevant to Indian system but the the choice faced by aged patients and their kith and kin are the same. Stark choice is - whether to go for costly and painful treatment and prolong the life by few more years - or continue to live life the way it comes and die early. In no way death can be avoided. In India most of the persons cannot afford costly treatment for themselves or for their aged parents and most of the time they are, at best, left to the mercy of God - who decides when to call them up. However those of us who can afford - do have choice whether to go under scalpel or not - may have to face such situation. Some of us may even have to strike hard conversations with aged parents giving them options of choosing painful treatment to prolong their life by few years or to not and let them go. Indeed very hard choices to make.
Dr Atul Gwande has given examples of number of cases dealt by him including his own father who was also a doctor. As one goes though the book it makes reader think of his times to come when he may have to make tough choices. Indeed a dreadful thought - but sooner or later. No one wants to talk about impending death or pending few years to terminally ill patient and his kins - but author exhorts that such talks should be undertaken by doctors and even by kins of such patients. It would require courage to talk and suggest about choosing death over life (few years) and vice versa.
I would recommend this book to be read by each one of us. And it does require courage to go through it.
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