Health Care Costs

I applaud Dr. Neil Schram’s article (Dec. 5) on cutting the cost of death to provide health care to the living. I am a registered nurse and help to bridge the gap between the physicians and families who must make these decisions.

Many times the decision not to take away life support measures prolongs suffering for both the patient and the family. Guilt, selfishness and/or ignorance can interfere with the decision to stop treatment. Families should be well-informed what treatments are actually done.

Resuscitating a terminally ill person or elderly person can be very brutal. I am trained to provide care to people in time of sickness; yet am trained to help them die with dignity, when the time comes. In this day and age, when we have so many technological advances, we can keep people alive too long. Let’s provide health care to the living.

MRS. TROYCE HOOD, RN

San Clemente