Comments for My Mother’s Hands at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 17 out of 17 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Sat, 25 May 2013 18:36:13 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2964 This article is exactly what I was trying to say while arguing the Obama care with a friend. We humans always push the envelope. . . and keep pushing. Thanks for a great article! - Frances Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:42:50 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2931 There is a general misunderstanding about Sarah Palin's death panel remark. It did not refer to the end of life counseling sessions rather to precisely what you describe; bureaucratic decisions on what will and will not be funded. - Austin Ruse Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:59:15 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2920 Hi Larry: I loved your article. My sis and self (partly) helped our elderly parents to the very end. My father lived to the ripe old age of 93 and bed ridden for the last 3 years. He was devout to the very end. I truly agree we are blessed and fortified. Kind thoughts Valerie - Valerei Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:56:25 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2915 There is good hospice and there is bad hospice. We experienced both with my Mom. We learned the hard way -- bad hospice will not hydrate, for example, defining simple hydration as "extraordinary" care (read -- Terri Schiavo) Good hospice -- Catholic hospice -- does what it's supposed to. We began referring to them as "kill" and "no kill" hospices -- like animal shelters. There ARE no-kill hospices. Ask questions! - Barbara W Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:05:57 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2911 It was the Oregon medical program--the State--that would not cover the (questionably effective) cancer drug but did send the lady a letter about the "Death with Dignity" coverage. Oregon rations care under the Oregon Health Plan. - Tom Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:56:54 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2910 I loved this article and I wonder what will come next. If we let them talk us into letting Mom go because her mind is no longer here than will the next generation say lets put Mom to rest before her mind goes. Will we end up in an old sci-fi movie and like Logans Run - In the 23rd century, In the domed city, men and women live in a society where you can only live until you are 30-years old. I hope not for I would not have had my last 2 children nor seen my 3 grandchildren. God Bless you Larry. - Pat Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:26:51 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2909 Although you have many good points about the "death panel" issue, you don't have an accurate understanding of Hospice. Hospice will enable your mom to have better, more personal care (and free supplies). Hospice isn't for someone right on their way out, but for someone who has 6 months to live and it is not uncommon for someone to go into Hospice and then leave Hospice (or be in Hospice for YEARS). Hospice doesn't mean you're giving up on your mom, it means you're giving her better care. - Bethanie Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:26:18 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2907 The scariest thing about almost everthing that Obama says and incongruently does is that the roots lie in sentimentalism, certainly not in Truth, and further still from coherant logic. He is the perfect reflection of our society that prizes form over content, beautiful lies over brutally ugly truths. Larry, a beautiful article without sentimentalism and a very serious foreshadowning of the inevitable. Thank you very much. - Achilles Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:05:04 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2908 Something else that's left out of the death panel equation is that it applies to both ends of the life span. On the Catholic News Ageny website is a piece about a premature baby that was refused treatmenet by the hospital it was born in because it was born two-days short of the government-recommended gestational cutoff for being considered a treatable premature infant. The baby died while the mom pleaded with the doctors for treatment. England has death panels. Why won't we? - Bill G Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:04:55 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2906 Hospice is a wonderful organization but they are really for end of life. My Dad, immobilized by Parkinson's, on a feeding tube, was picked up by hospice, but then hospice officials got mad at my Mom because she wouldn't follow their feeding schedule (she fed him when she thought he was hungry) and when he had an infection that could be treated at home she did. In other words, when no extraordinary methods were needed to care for him, she did it. They dumped her. - Marty Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:02:55 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2905 Hospice is not an evil place, it is a comforting place for you and your family to go to as Mom's AZ takes her further a way from you. It's certainly better than being in a hosptial setting or worse yet the convalescent hospital. Please take the time to tour the hospices in your area, look at the total care, and the people who will be taking care of her, find a good place. It could be the right decision for you and Mom. - Tapestry Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:32:47 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2904 The Hippocratic Oath has been rendered meaningless these days. There is even a revised oath for those planning to do abortions. Greed has caught up with healthcare and is finally killing it. Greedy insurance companies, trial lawyers and even some doctors might have to find a new avenue to satisfy their monetary lust. Is it a good thing we now have the government, that paragon of virtue with all its novel satrapies, getting involved? Reform is most needed but not without checks and balances. - Willie Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:22:07 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2902 was once in the Hippocratic oath.The health care reform can be called a Butterfly effect because with anything happen, in order to make a buck, something will be denied that will save a life or at least prolong it. - Joe Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:12:43 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2901 Mike: I'm not sure who you are arguing with. This column fears the inhumanity of government and insurance companies. I wrote a few weeks ago that I agreed with Obama that reform could do much good. Whether the proposed reform will work, however, is a different matter. Some of us think this much government, whatever Obama's words and intentions, will have unintended consequences. And then there's expecting to pay for it by efficiency and cutting waste and fraud, which no one believes possible. - Robert Royal Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:58:08 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2900 The intellectual dishonesty of Mr. Royal and his collegues in this column is breathtaking. It seems that the conservative catholics that fall into line with big business and their GOP collegues are determined to preserve the inhumane nature of the current health care system. If they listened closely to the president's words last night, they would relaize the current reform initiative is not meant to ruin the insurance industry. It is meant to improve it by putting a human face on it. - Mike Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:36:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2899 what a beautiful tribute & loving song you have sung to us! thank you, Larry! you are of course right-we are human BE-ings before we are anything else. that dignity can never be twittered away in any arena. i have no doubt that the Last Face your mommy sees while still in her body on earth will be the First Face she sees on the other side of this life. May our Triune God & Holy Mother Mary continue to draw you all into deeper communion with each other even as you are drawn deeper into His love - debby Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:54:20 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2009/my-mothers-hands.html#comment-2898 Hospice care when properly conducted is a truly great good. I know that this is so because hospice nurses and their assistants provided respectful, kind, professional assistance to me and my mother in our own home. They did all that they could to assist us through not days but months of her dying. On the other hand, I realize that great evils such as the case of Terry Schiavo do occur. Family surveliance is the key. Should the state attempt to take control, that would be dangerous. - Elder Reader Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:09:12 +0100