Re: Speaking valves and life in general
Daniel Vachon (drv(AT)ici.net)
Sun, 27 Apr 1997 12:59:40 -0400 (EDT)
At 05:40 PM 4/26/97 -0600, you wrote:
>Hi. I am an occupational therapist who works in the acute care setting. I
>am not a vent user myself. I have worked with a couple of pt's with hi
>spinal cord injuries who required the use of a vent. Recently I heard, that
>it's better not to use a speaking valve, as they are the source of other
>problems, and it is better if one can completely deflate the cuff and speak
>that way. Do you agree? and how well can you speak with a deflated cuff?
>
>I recently got into a heated discussion with the rest of the rehab staff I
>work with (PTs, PTAs, COTAs) about...I don't know what to term it. A
>student noted that she didn't understand why people who were in accidents
>with severe injuries were saved when they would be unable to move. She
>noted that she would rather die, and everyone else agreed, except me. I
>noted that a person with a hi injury does not have brain damage and can
>still think and be with family. I was surprised with the animosity that my
>opinion received from my fellow colleagues. One of them told me it would
>be easier for family if the injured were dead, because then there would be
>"closure."
>
>Perhaps what non vent users think is irrelevant, but I am wondering how any
>of you would respond to such notions.
>
>Thanks
>Karen JW
>dalejw(AT)sprynet.com
>
>
>
I too had to respond to your note. And I am also amazed and
concerned about medical professionals, especially in your particular field,
that have such outdated notions about the quality of life. Our sense of
being, who we are, where we really reside, is in our minds, not our bodies.
One only has to look at people like professor Hawkins to realize that.
I would like to hear from other medical professionals. Do they also
feel this way? Do they know of others in their field who take life so
meaninglessly? In this age of judging weather a person will receive
expensive medical treatment is increasingly being based on how much this
person will return to society (monetarily speaking), such beliefs are truly
frightening. Let's hope that this is not going to become a widespread belief.
Dan