Submitted on Wednesday October 31st, 2012
Death and dying are not topics we talk about easily in our culture. As a general rule, in fact, we avoid them, almost as if to talk about them would bring on a premature demise. As a result, many families are unaware of their loved one's wishes at the end of life and are faced with making difficult decisions. This can lead to family discord and can make a trying situation even harder than it already is.
Norene's father, Richard, showed caring and foresight in planning ahead. He thought about what "quality of life" meant to him. Reflecting on what made life worth living helped him to make decisions about life support issues.