You are exactly correct. With only two words Palin has succeeded in getting those end-of-life consultations taken out of any health care reform. The woman is brilliant. With two pointed words, Palin gained control of the argument and put the Democrats on the defensive. It got every one to focus a specific section of the bill. And with that inspection of the specific language and lively debate about its contents, it will be deleted from any final bill. She was masterful.
And yes, this is a small victory, and we must keep up the pressure. Perhaps Palin will help out again with her ability to cut through all the BS with one or two well-chosen chosen word.
Whether these were in fact “death panels” or not, the fact is that we are all going to die some day. It helps to know what one’s options are. I have lost my mother, 89, from congestive heart failure; my father; 90, from stroke; and my husband, 75, from Alzheimers. They all had made wills, had advanced directives, and medical and financial power’s of attorney assigned. They were all insistant that they did not want to go to a hospital for end stage treatment. When she had been hospitalized earlier for some treatment, my mother used to call me a 3 am crying “I’m SO hungry”. She knew I would care for her more attentively. They all said they did not want IV or stomach tubes if their situation would soon result in natural death, and their wishes were respected.
People need some kind of advice about dealing with the end stage, if they don’t already know and understand what is involved. How do we get this to them safely?