mothstrand's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Vomit and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Excrement
applesaucecreachur's review against another edition
4.5
I won't deny that, despite the litany of gathered stories and devoted editors and researchers that this book employed, the ultimate message still comes from the perspective of one male medical doctor. He offered allowances for capitalist structures including insurance systems in how he references the financial cost of medical care while dying. The basis of this book refers to disability as an unfortunate reality to be overcome at best, and at worst, a fate worse than death; while the message is about the end of life, I interpreted this as not a message that disability is merely another facet of life.
Still, I believe that Dr. Gawande and his team's tireless work paid off in Being Mortal. Gawande calls out modern medicine and its practitioners for morphing death into a demon to be battled til the bitter end (and oftentimes, beyond), rather than as something to be accepted for the sake of the dying and their beloveds. While he offers guiding principles, everyone's experience with and therefore their discussions about death are different, and that is the point. Patients are people and they contain multitudes. Our love for our people must keep their humanness, and not their treatment regimen, at the forefront.
Graphic: Medical content, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical trauma and Ableism
fiadhnd's review against another edition
4.0
Spoiler
extensive medical scenes, illness, end of life care, deathModerate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death
thewileyseven's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, and Suicide
isabellew6's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Grief and Dementia
Minor: Suicide
ulviyyask's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Death, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Cancer
laheath's review against another edition
5.0
This is a must-read for anyone facing a terminal diagnosis or planning for elder care. The author does not give specific instructions for any of this but stresses the importance of determining an individual's goals across the continuum of care. This helps to ensure personalized care and to prepare family members for what may be to come, allowing them time to accept the patient's wishes. Giving the patient some control and dignity during this final stage of life often goes hand in hand with their quality of life. The author uses examples from his own family and patients, as well as research articles, to demonstrate the profound effects of patient-centered care, including long-term care, assisted living, oncology, hospice and palliative care.
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, and Terminal illness
brooklynchaise's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Medical content, Death, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Dementia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Drug use, and Vomit
maethereader's review
5.0
I really think this should be required reading for everyone with a body who will one day have to face their mortality and that of their loved ones.
I listened to the audiobook for the last 1/3 of it, and I thought the narrator did a good job.
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Cancer, and Death
Moderate: Grief
haleyisamess's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Excrement