Sunday, April 05, 2009

TheGreatUnknown

Of late more is being written on dying. And very timely too. Most spent a lifetime on how to live well but not many really know how to die well. A taboo subject to most, especially the older generation. Don't want to know or don't care to know. In the saturday's Special Report, it's on facing reality, planning and dying well. Watched on YouTube with admiration, how positively Randy Pausch view his condition and then prepared his last lecture, a final legacy for his children. Closer to home, ShinNa blogged about her final journey. How she prepared her children, aged 3 and 6 of her eventual departure.
According to poll done by NgeeAnnPoly, the top three fears about dying is being a burden to family and friends. The other, medical cost and pain.
As Dr Ong Kian Chung puts it, in many cases, most next of kins would want to do the utmost to salvage a hopeless situation resulting in unnecessary prolong suffering. A classic case of "paliating the relatives, rather than the patients"
Advice given from LeePohWahCeo of LienFoundation
*Don't maintain a conspiracy of silence.
Avoidance and denial of death may lead to lifelong regret, unresolved guilt and prolonged grief
for those who live on.
*Don't busy yourself fighting death, instead of living. Quality rather than quantity.
*Seek help from hospice palliative care services.

It takes alot of courage and preparation to go on a solo one way ticket adventure to the great unknown without a stitch.

1 comment:

stay-at-home mum said...

Watched the show by the Lien Foundation on CNA last night on this subject. it was so touching.Yes its tough, on the dying, as well as the family!