Death and Dying Essay example

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Death and Dying: Related to the Story “Tuesdays with Morrie”
Dying is a natural part of the life process. Yet as humans we often fear the inevitable or somehow feel that it doesn’t apply to our race. In the United States, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention 740.6 deaths per 100,000 population occurred in 2011 (Hoyert and Xu, 2012, para. 1). In the book Tuesdays with Morrie a professor dying of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), recognizes death as being a part of the life process and in his final days takes the opportunity to make his experience with dying a lesson to millions and to a particular pupil that he was once a mentor too, Mitch Albom. Morrie embraced the dying process as an opportunity to celebrate his life and his relationships with those close to him; and in the process aids Mitch in discovering his own meaning of life through spirituality, caring and the grieving process. Morrie Schwartz was a sociology professor at Brandeis University. Morrie was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or also known as Lou Gehrig ’s disease. ALS is a neurological disease that causes muscle weakness, leading to disability and eventually death (“Mayo Clinic: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”, 2010). The disease affects 1 to 3 people per a population of 100,000 (“Mayo Clinic: Amyotrophic Lateral Scelrosis”, 2010). The cause of the disease is unknown and usually begins in one extremity and spreads throughout the body until it affects respiratory function (Gould and Dyer, 2011, p. 520). However, cognitive function is not affected by the disease. As the disease spreads to different muscles and limbs it deteriorates the muscle eventually causing paralysis. Loss of motor function throughout the body, difficulty speaking, difficulty breathing and difficulty swallowing are all signs and symptoms of ALS. Morrie mentions several times throughout the story of how he will die of suffocation once the disease reaches his lungs. The most common cause of death in patients with ALS according to the Mayo Clinic, is respiratory failure which usually occurs within 3 to 5 years of initial symptoms (“Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”,2010). Morrie met his inevitable demise of the deadly disease within two years of his prognosis. Throughout Tuesdays with Morrie the progression of the disease is clearly marked. Morrie progresses from losing fine motor skills and needing aids to be mobile, to muscle atrophy and weakness that put him in a chair, to finally being completely bed bound and reliant on others.
Caring for individuals with ALS usually requires a team as the disease progress. Common healthcare providers that make up this team consist of the following: respiratory therapist, speech pathologist, nutritionist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, psychologist, social workers, and nurses (Gould and Dyer, 2011, p. 520). Common treatments for patients with ALS are activities to maintain range of motion, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness (“Mayo Clinic: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”, 2010). Aids such as walkers, wheelchairs and other devices are commonly used to aid in mobility and increase independence. Speech techniques and aids are commonly taught and used to help with communication as the disease progresses (Gould and Dyer, 2011, p. 520). Potential for injury is a main concern for patients diagnosed with ALS as well as a major nursing diagnosis. These patients become more dependent on others as the disease progresses and the potential for injury due to this increased dependence worsens.
According to Kozier & Erb’s Fundamentals of Nursing, “Caring means that people, relationships and things matter” and “Caring practice involves connection, mutual recognition, and involvement between nurse and client” (Bermer and Snyder, 2012, p. 449). In the book Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom a previous student of Morries who is on a quest to find meaning in his life and deal with
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