Debbie Rech-Whitmore on PBS' Frontline tonight.

[cptmac]

Tonight, on PBS, Frontline features my and our dear departed friend Debbie Rech-Whitmore​

Frontline Being Mortal

FRONTLINE teams up with writer and surgeon Atul Gawande to examine how doctors care for terminally ill patients. In conjunction with Gawande's new book, Being Mortal, the film explores the relationships between doctors and patients nearing the end of life, and shows how many doctors - including Gawande himself - struggle to talk honestly and openly with their dying patients.

[Val*pal]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely watch it.

[O Stoma Mia]

Frontline: "Being Mortal" (VIDEO - 54 minutes)

[CRguy]

Thanks Cappy & OSM, wasn't able to watch or record IRT so now I still get the chance !

Cheers
CR

[mom_2_3]

Cptmac,

I watched the video and found it moving and informative. I cried a number of times during. I did not see, however, any mention of Debbie. Did I miss something?

Thx!

[mom_2_3]

Found the link for the short documentary about Debbie at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... n-the-end/.

What a courageous and loving person she was. I never met Debbie but I think about her often and pray that her husband and boys are doing ok.

[Val*pal]

I downloaded "Being Mortal" to my Kindle the other day and have almost finished it.

I highly recommend it.

The first part of the book is about elders and nursing homes and includes an interesting historical outline of how nursing homes came to be. Very informative. It includes glimpses into new modalities of care for seniors that allow them choice and independence. Since I'm 62, I intend to look into this more for the future (God willing).

The second part of the book is about how doctors deal with talking to terminal patients. Dr. Gawande reveals just how difficult it is to be "honest" with the terminally ill and goes on to show his struggles and eventual success in finding a humane way to do so. I wish I'd had that info a year ago.

Though I have good memories of my husband's oncologist, I do feel she really struggled in the end with his impending death. I may buy a copy of "Being Mortal" and send it to her. I know that deep down she is a kind and caring physician, but she did not handle my husband's last visits very well. I have no resentment about this since I always felt she meant well but just didn't have the words to handle it. Maybe this book will help her find those words.

Dr. Gawande's book is poignant as well in that he shares many personal experiences, especially his own father's terminal illness.

[Decorina]

I thing "Being Mortal" is an excellent book. The discussion of talking to dying patients prompted me to execute a living will and MPOA for my husband. CO where I live has some forms for last wishes that are excellent - makes you think about what you want at end of life. Another thing that was helpful for me was Death Cafe's. They started in England I think and are now everywhere in the US. We meet once a month, usually at a coffee shop and talk about death and eat cake and drink tea. I highly recommend them.

[hart2hart]

I plan on buying this book this week. I thought the documentary was spot-on. I cried ALOT.
Glad I watched it alone......Amy thanks for posting the side video on Debbie.
That made me cry HARDER. Her courage was absolutely AMAZING.




Julie