As a Family Physician, it is not unusual to come face to face with a dying patient. Part of the practice entails the ability to provide medical and emotional support to patients and their families during these trying times. Hospice Care is one of the most emotionally draining segments of our training, but it can also be the most fulfilling. The challenge in having a terminally-ill patient is when he or she wants to end it all. Euthanasia is a tempting alternative to a painful death. Ending all suffering in the face of imminent demise seems like a humane idea. But of course, from a legal standpoint in the Philippines, it is not an option. And so, at times, we engage our patients in an emotional conversation about not thinking about ending one’s life. It can be a nerve-wracking experience for a physician.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, there are moments of despair that can simulate the hopelessness of a chronic illness. When will this end? Will there be a cure? What will happen if I get infected?
The uncertainties of the times can aggravate an existing tense situation.
Must we give in when there is nothing we can do?
In the history of man, we have known people who gave up. Judas Iscariot is an example. In the depths of his despair, he ended his life. If only he was able to talk to someone, or if only he had emotional support, who knows what could have happened? We tend to be guilty when we make mistakes, when we cause illness, when we become a burden to others. But it must not end with voluntarily ending one’s life. In the case of Judas, what was the difference with Peter, who denied his Master three times? He said he would do no such thing, but he did. He broke his promise. He could have contemplated to end it all after Christ died.
The important thing is to accept things that we cannot change. Chronic illness, leading to a slow death, is a sad reality that must be accepted. A pandemic cannot be stopped without having everyone infected or having a vaccine available. Never lose hope, for it is hope that elevates us and allows us to slay our personal demons. When all hope is lost, it signals the end. COVID-19 and chronic illness will test our will.
Where can we find strength?
I remember the story of Ignacio de Loyola. He wanted to give up on himself because of what he perceived as the “enormity of his sins”. He thought that he was a murderer, an adulterer, a very worldly man. He thought that what he did was unforgivable. He lost all hope. Until Christ appeared to him and told him: “Do you think your sins have any power over me, if I do not allow it? Just remember, I loved you first”.
The biggest mistake that we can make in this life is to lose hope.
Keep Fighting
Be positive
All of these trying times will enD