Category Archives: Commentary and Critiques
Response: The Deadly Choices at Memorial by Sarah Moi-Thuk-Shung
In the wake of facing our own super storm Sandy, this article hit very close to home. Many of us lost power for days, experienced damage to their homes, and some even lost their whole house. Unfortunately, many lives were lost during this hurricane as well. Sandy devastated the lives of many but it was not nearly as devastating as the effects of Hurricane Katrina. As I began to read the article, “The Deadly Choices at Memorial,” the eerie tone brought about goosebumps to my skin. I could not imagine walking through a hospital after this deadly hurricane and seeing motionless bodies everywhere. Furthermore, I could not imagine being the person responsible for the many casualties at the Memorial Medical Center in Uptown New Orleans.
I think it is appalling that after the physician Anna Pou injected some patients with lethal doses of drugs to hasten their deaths, she was allowed to advise state and national medical organizations and conducts lectures on medicine and ethics. Instead, she should have been indicted on the charges for second-degree murder, as well as the other medical professionals that were involved. Pou asks, “How long should health care workers have to be with patients who may not survive?” The key word “may” implies that a patient has the possibility to survive and the medical professionals would completely disregard this fact and take their life. This to me seems like murder.
As I read further into the article, I became more and more disgusted with the choices on the medical professionals at Memorial. According to the article, Richard Deichmann said that patients with D.N.R. orders had terminal or irreversible conditions, and at Memorial he believed they should go last because they would have had the “least to lose” compared with others if calamity struck. This is utterly sick coming from a medical-department chairman who is supposed to do everything in his power to help save the lives of each and every patient, even in the face of a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina.
Although there could never be enough preparation made for natural disasters, healthcare and medical professionals should be willing to do whatever it takes to help their patients in the wake of such disasters. The order or medical attention should not shift in the wake of tragedy and everyone should receive the same care, as is allowed. In the event of any emergency medical professionals should come together and make plans that are in the best interest of each and every patient.
Protected: Amanda Burden Post
Protected: Response to “Deadly Choices at Memorial”
Protected: The Deadly Choices at Memorial Response (By Lisa Olson)
Protected: My thoughts on ‘The Deadly Choices at Memorial’
Protected: Thoughts on Sheri Fink’s “The Deadly Choices at Memorial”
Extra Credit: Here is New York
By: Teresa Roca
Because of Hurricane Sandy, I couldn’t help but think about E.B. White’s This is New York. There are a lot of reasons why this book relates to New York City today. White explains how every facility is inadequate such as the overcrowded hospitals, schools and playgrounds etc. But then he goes on to say that the city makes up for these hazards and deficiencies by supplying citizens with a sense of belonging to something unique. That is exactly the reason why New York is the way it is today. Despite the claustrophobic subway stations and unimproved highways and bridges, New Yorkers can’t help but absorb and love New York City despite all of its flaws.
This is shown today through Hurricane Sandy. According to White, “The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions.” This is untrue. When the terrorist attacks occurred on September 11th, 2001, New York did not destruct or crumble. Despite the lives lost, this helped unite the city. The same happened with Hurricane Sandy. I have never seen more unity in a community than this past week. In Staten Island, islanders from all parts of the area opened their warm homes to people without power, gave neighbors generators and the little bit of gas they had left, donated clothes, cleaning supplies, food and other necessities, and visited the destroyed homes to help clean and salvage goods. Because of everything New York City and the boroughs have done for the residents in regards to giving people something unique and mighty, we gave and continue to give back by not allowing these destructible events destroy the city, but letting it become even stronger. It is nice to know that New York was and still is loved by its residents despite its flaws. Although this book may be dated at times, the message will never be.
Response to Joseph Mitchell
Joseph Mitchell is the author of Joe Gould’s Secret, one of our required readings for this course. Like other readings given to us in class, Mitchell’s writing style is very admirable. As in many books of this style, Mitchell uses very descriptive language, which helps paint a picture for readers. Though descriptive, Mitchell is able to write in a way that is not overly flowery. He has a great sense of words.
He describes his character Joe Gould as one of the last Bohemians in Greenwich Village. “All the others fell by the wayside. Some are in the grave, some are in the loony bin, and some are in the advertising business.” Gould also lives a very difficult life. He is affected by homelessness, hunger, and hangovers, and sleeps wherever he can, whether it be in the subway or at a friend’s home. Such circumstances make Joe Gould’s Secret a very interesting read. His life, in combination with Mitchell’s writing style, makes the book definitely recommendable to anybody interested in feature writing.