In the January issue of Health Affairs, Richard Piiparinen of Cleveland State University documents his experience navigating terminal illness.
In his 40s, Piiparinen was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer. He writes about the reluctance of the medical system to properly grapple with death and mortality.
He writes about the tendency for the medical field to either be in denial about death or overmedicalize mortality and rely on the use of science and technology to delay death or bring about “the death of death.”
He remarks, however, that there is increasing initiation toward acceptance.
Some medical schools have begun incorporating “the groundwork of acceptance” between patients and practitioners into their curricula.
Piiparinen writes about the Massachusetts Medical Schools’ Collaborative’s development of core competencies in serious illness communication.
Piiparinen concludes by remarking about his decision to accept death while continuing to fight for life, and accepting the uncertainty surrounding his own mortality.
