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Being mortal : medicine and what matters in the end / by Gawande, Atul,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.
Subjects: Medical ethics.; Palliative treatment.; Quality of life.; Terminal care.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Grief works / by Samuel, Julia,1959-author.;
Includes bibliographical references."A warm, moving and practical guide to grief from a leading bereavement counsellor, Grief Works features deeply affecting case studies of the author's clients, which will appeal to readers of Atul Gawande's Being Mortal, Stephen Grosz's The Unexamined Life and Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air. Death is the last taboo in our society, and grief is still profoundly misunderstood. So many of us feel awkward and uncertain around death, and shy away from talking honestly with family and friends. Grief Works is a compassionate guide that will inform and engage anyone who is grieving, from the "expected" death of a parent to the sudden unexpected death of a small child, and provide clear advice for those seeking to comfort the bereaved. With deeply moving case studies of real people's stories of loss, and brilliantly accessible and practical advice, Grief Works will be passed down through generations as the definitive guide for anyone who has lost a loved one, and revolutionize the way we talk about life, loss and death."--
Subjects: Grief;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Into the gray zone : a neuroscientist explores the border between life and death / by Owen, Adrian M.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.In this startling and thought-provoking book, which will remind readers of works by Oliver Sacks and Atul Gawande, a world-renowned neuroscientist reveals his controversial, groundbreaking work with patients whose brains were previously thought vegetative or non-responsive but turn out--in up to 20 percent of cases--to be vibrantly alive, existing in the "Gray Zone." Into the Gray Zone takes readers to the edge of a dazzling, humbling frontier in our understanding of the brain: the so-called "gray zone" between full consciousness and brain death. People in this middle place have sustained traumatic brain injuries or are the victims of stroke or degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Many are oblivious to the outside world, and their doctors believe they are incapable of thought. But a sizeable number are experiencing something different: intact minds adrift deep within damaged brains and bodies. An expert in the field, Adrian Owen led a team that, in 2006, discovered this lost population and made medical history. Scientists, physicians, and philosophers have only just begun to grapple with the implications. Following Owen's journey of exciting medical discovery, Into the Gray Zone asks some tough and terrifying questions, such as: What is life like for these patients? What can their families and friends do to help them? What are the ethical implications for religious organizations, politicians, the Right to Die movement, and even insurers? And perhaps most intriguing of all: in defining what a life worth living is, are we too concerned with the physical and not giving enough emphasis to the power of thought? What, truly, defines a satisfying life?
Subjects: Brain damage.; Persistent vegetative state.; Persistent vegetative state; Brain; Neurosciences.; Coma.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Better now : six big ideas to improve the health care for all Canadians / by Martin, Danielle,1975-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."An important check-up on our health-care system--and what urgently needs fixing--from a respected doctor and passionate Medicare advocate. Dr. Danielle Martin sees the cracks and challenges in our health-care system every day. Much like Atul Gawande, she uses real patient stories to illustrate what works in our health-care system and what doesn't. Most importantly, she proposes bold fixes that are both achievable and affordable. Ahmad is a diabetic taxi driver who can't afford to renew his prescriptions; Jill, a 75-year old patient who went to Emergency for severe flu symptoms, ended up with a broken hip from falling down in her hospital room and then was discharged without her blood pressure meds. Sam was an active, healthy retiree who suffered a stroke from an unnecessary heart test. All of these people suffered from fixable and preventable issues that illustrate how Canadians' health needs to be better managed. And it can be done without increasing spending. One of the most urgent reforms she advocates for is a national pharmacare program, instead of the piecemeal provincial pattern of buying drugs. Canada could save billions if drugs were bought in bulk by a single body, which in turn could fund a national prescription program. Patients also need a regular GP instead of overusing hospital Emergency Clinics. Hospitals need to take into account a patient's overall medical history, at every stage from admission to discharge. And since poverty is the greatest predictor of ill health, Dr. Martin argues that a guaranteed income could prevent and alleviate many health problems, reducing pressure on the system and our wallets. Passionate, accessible, and authoritative, Dr. Martin is a fervent supporter of the best of Medicare and a persuasive critic of what needs fixing."--
Subjects: Medical care; Patients; Health care reform;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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