Question Description
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/being-mort…
3-4 pages
Being Mortal Reflection Questions for Reflection Paper #2
1) Dr. Gawande explains that in his training as a surgeon he has struggled with the fear of not being able to fix a problem for a patient, even when he knows the odds are not good. If you were Dr. Gawandes patient, what would you like him to know about your hopes for how he would communicate with you if he had determined that he could no longer cure you?
2) Dr. Nayaks patient, Bill, tells her that he is not afraid of dying, but he is afraid of the pain he might endure. What are your own worries or fears about what the end-of-life situation might be like?
3) Norma Bananeau gets very upset by the news that her cancer has taken a more aggressive turn because she has plans to take her family to Disneyland for Christmas. Are there activities or plans you have that you are counting on completing in your lifetime? If you couldnt complete them, what would you do instead?
4) The brain cancer doctor, Dr. Nayak, often works with patients who are not likely to survive their conditions. But even she feels the pressure to give them some hope. If you were her patient, what kind of conversation could you imagine having with her to balance hope with reality so that you can make the best use of the time you have left?
5) In one scene, Jeff Shields and his grandson talk about the fact that he is dying and his grandson has an opportunity to ask some difficult questions. How would you feel about having a similar conversation with your loved ones at the end of life? Would that conversation with an adult be different than the one youd have with a young person?
6) What ideas did the documentary give you about what you might want your doctor and those close to you to know about your end-of-life preferences?
7) What are two (or more) actions that you would be willing to take now in order to help yourself and those close to you communicate your wishes about end-of-life care?
8)If you were working in a medical setting such as a clinic or hospital, what is difficult for you about starting the conversation about end-of-life treatment options with patients with a possibly terminal diagnosis and what would you like your patients to know?
