mothstrand's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
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
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Some books come at just the right time, and this one is at an unfair advantage: To those living in the modern-day United States, this message will always be necessary.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Chronic illness, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Medical trauma and Ableism
fiadhnd's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Being Mortal | Atul Gawande | Standalone | Nonfiction/Memoir | Audiobook | Dr Atul Gawande discusses elderly care and end of life care and reflects on death and dying. | Content Warning (CW) and Trigger Warnings (TW)
Spoiler
extensive medical scenes, illness, end of life care, death
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death
thewileyseven's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Extraordinary and essential. Spiritually, a beginning to the conversations of how acceptance and commitment theory can be applied to end-of-life care. I am positive I will be referring to this book regularly throughout the rest of my life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, and Suicide
isabellew6's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Grief and Dementia
Minor: Suicide
ulviyyask's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Death, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, and Cancer
laheath's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Because I encounter this on a daily basis in my work, my professional opinions definitely influence my personal opinions. I see patients and families unprepared and struggling with end of life decisions, afraid they're going to make the wrong decisions, unsure what they're loved ones would have wanted because they never had those difficult conversations, or in complete denial and somehow convinced that their loved one can live forever with enough medical intervention which ultimately only causes more suffering.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, and Terminal illness
brooklynchaise's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Very informative and perspective changing. It challenged me to think about mortality and the things that make life worth living, especially at the end. I will definitely recommend this book to others and reflect on its contents as I and my family grow older
Content Warnings
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 against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This is a very important book. It was inspiring, hopeful, sad, challenging. I learned so much about aging and terminal illness, nursing homes and alternatives, healthcare, hospice, and dying. That might sound grim, but so much of it was so beautiful and inspiring. It was so enlightening. I feel so much better prepared to go through the process of accompanying a loved one who is dying and to die myself. I also feel really interested in learning more about options for aging people and hospice in my community. And I feel better prepared to advocate for myself and loved ones in medical situations, this was a huge insight into what is happening when healthcare workers aren't giving you straight answers (and I think this carries over into veterinary medicine as well - had similar experiences with two pets who ended up passing away, and the days and weeks of working with the vet hospitals did not have to be that stressful and confusing).
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Cancer, and Death
Moderate: Grief
haleyisamess's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Very informative read. I probably would have enjoyed this more as a medical professional. Listening on audiobook, it was easy for me to a sometimes glaze over the medical jargon. The last half of the book was fantastic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Excrement