You know I think a lot about death, I’ve attended a lot of deaths as an oncologist, a lot like I can’t … I’ve been a doctor for 21 years and I’ve been an oncologist of 17 of those years, I can’t even begin to guess how many deaths I’ve pronounced. I’ve been a witness to death a lot of times.
And there are a lot of things that distinguish a good death from a bad death: like being free of pain and having, um, closed all your loops. Like not feeling like you’re dying with unfinished business on either side: on the part of the person who is dying or on the part of the survivors, sort of thing. If you are prepared, if you are not surprised by death, those are the people who have a good death, you know. I think there’s some sort of peace and resolution in the end of suffering.
These (COVID) deaths are the exact opposite of that. It is the worst death. No one is prepared for it. No one has closed the loops. No one has got the logistics ready. No one did the emotional hard work of making sure everyone said what they need to say and that people are forgiven, or are ready to forgive. None of that is done.
I don’t know - it’s a lot to think about - people dying alone.
