“Palliative” – a new word for love
An Oklahoma woman who has devoted much of her professional life to end of life issues is Linda Edmondson. She has spoken across the state, written articles for magazines and newspapers and worked for many years with the Oklahoma Aliance for Better Care of the Dying.
Linda calls palliative care, a new word for love. I am using this space to share with you some of her thoughts on this subject because any family who knows they are facing the end of someone’s life is wise to consider it.
Palliative care focuses on relieving or reducing symtoms of a life-limiting or life-threatening illness. The most important part of that for many people is pain managment. With improved medical knowledge and techniques, people no longer have to suffer when in the last stages of an advanced illness. Not only does it relieve pain, it helps with loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, shortness of breath, bowel and bladder problems.
In addition to physical needs, palliative care also addresses psychological, social and spiritual needs, which are equally important at the end of life. By treating all of these needs, the family members, as well as the one dying , are able to attend to the personal unfinished business of their lives.
In one of her columns, published in the Oklahoman in 2002, she tells the story of the widow of a physician who spoke of her husband’s last days and the palliative care their family received.
The lady recognized the hospice physician, nurse and social worker who took care of all the “things that got in the way – the medical equipment and the pain control and the insurance company.” With those things taken care of and with the help of a chaplain, her husband spent his remaining time and energy in a spiritual journey toward peace and acceptance.
Palliative care is appropriate for anyone with an active, progressive and life-limiting illness. It can be provided at home, in a hospital or at a nursing home. If you want to know more about it, ask your physican or other health care professional or contact one of the many Hospice organizations in our state.
Linda Edmondson says, “When we enter this world, we are surrounded by love, comfort and care. Don’t we deserve the same when we leave?”
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment