To live well and die peacefully .... the simple wish of every human being.
In today's world, you can learn about anything that brings sensation and money. But finding out about what subconsciously troubles every person, something about death and dying, is almost impossible. So how does one die in the 21st century? Must a person still suffer today? Can one influence their last days, or even enforce their own vision of their death?
It is precisely this gap, precisely these kinds of questions, that the author decided to fill in his forthcoming book. The book is written for the general public, for each of us, and is a contribution to the humanization of medicine in our time. It discusses the ideas we have about our own death and our dreamt-of end, and confronts them with the social and medical reality of our time. It points to humanity's age-old desire to die among loved ones, not to suffer, not to be a burden to family, or not to lose dignity. It shows how it can be ensured that, even in the event of losing the physical or mental capacity to decide, we are treated in accordance with our ideas and our will. It explains the basic concepts related to the patient's right to consent to or refuse treatment, touches on the prognosis of the most common diseases leading to an undesired end. It simply explains terms from the field of intensive medicine (being placed on artificial respiration, circulatory support, or dialysis) and provides a knowledge base for making the right decision at the right time...
It brings examples from the author's medical practice as well as examples of written advance directives expressing one's will for the last days from countries where dying is not a social taboo but an open social topic.
After the theoretical preparation in the first part of the book, the second part deals with specific conditions and serves as a template for formulating the foundations of a patient's will. Throughout the individual chapters and based on examples (e.g., brain damage and resulting states from injury, after a stroke, after resuscitation, or in progressive neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease), each reader can choose and tick what they would choose in a given situation, in a given described health condition. Through this simple process, they essentially draft their will for their last days. After having the authenticity of their will certified by a notary, the reader obtains a legally binding "testament" for the most common causes and conditions leading to an undesired end. The will created using the book and subsequently certified may one day help not only each of us, but also our relatives in making a difficult decision about what to do next... Under the subtitle: "Required Reading for All Truly Grown-ups" or "Last Stop, All Out," this book is intended in an accessible, understandable, and light-hearted form for all who have grasped the only certainty in life...
It is a book that parents should give to children, the sick to the healthy, and realists to realists. Only this approach will ensure that the knowledge from this book and the open conversation about it will be reflected on the day you arrive at the last stop...
Order this unusual gift now, read it, calmly reflect on it, fill it out correctly. Then share it with someone you truly know, whom you trust the most. With the reassurance of having secured your wishes and freed yourself from the fear and uncertainty of the last days, you will enjoy all the others with even greater joy.
Contents of the book Part One: Dying and death – dying at home – dying naturally – dying well – if I do not manage to die well, how will I die? – not being a burden to the family – someone is always responsible for a bad outcome – when it is truly bad – the limit exists, but who sets it – the limit of the family and the doctors – how to enforce your will, your limit – everyone has the right, but not the obligation, to set their limits – when is the right time – the problem of recognizing, naming, and wanting to address it – what happens if I ignore this problem – what happens if I have expressed my will – how it usually proceeds in most cases – what is ideal then? – biological age, an important factor for the right decision – can I change my decision – euthanasia is something else – open questions and unresolved issues – how it is done in developed foreign countries
Part Two: I am young and healthy, what threatens me? – injuries – extensive head and brain trauma – real-life situations for anyone at any age – sudden cardiac arrest and other causes of brain damage from lack of oxygen – degenerative diseases of the nervous system – cancer – typical diseases of old age – senile dementia, Alzheimer's disease – diseases where even modern medicine can do no more – dialysis in hopeless and borderline cases – my decision for my disease – my advance directive as a patient – updating my advance directive
"Death always catches us unprepared." Talking about death and dying as the most natural process in nature remains a socially sensitive topic. This topic is pushed aside in society, pushed aside in the family, but it cannot be pushed out of an individual's thoughts and life. Every one of us will at some point think about how they will one day die, when, and what it will be like...
This book is intended for the general public and addresses the issue of dying and death in the 21st century. It explains not only the principles of palliative medicine but mainly the legal and practical principles for determining a patient's will for their last days, the so-called patient's advance directive. It attempts, in a well-founded, generally accessible, and accepted form, to answer those questions for which even today's person awaits a human answer, a human approach — not from a machine, but from a person with knowledge, experience, and empathy.
While the first part of the book is theoretical preparation, the second part presents the specific conditions that most often lead to an undesired end. Based on these clinical examples, everyone can formulate their own advance directive by ticking their answers. This book is a small attempt to humanize medicine and an effort to clarify and understand what is most natural. "Even death can be prepared for."
Last Stop, All Out! or How I Wish to Die (Required Reading for All Truly Grown-ups) MUDr. Branislav Maček Graphic design: MUDr. Branislav Maček Published by: MUDr. Branislav Maček First edition. Year of publication 2014 Print: MKV Press s.r.o., Košice ISBN 978-80-971686-2-9 Softcover, A5 format, number of pages 60