Last year when I went to a palliative care conference here in Melbourne I got a shoulder bag which is of a convenient size, so I kept it and use it from time to time. I usually wear it with the logo facing towards me so as not to bring attention to it. Today I was on the tram with it and I noticed the man opposite me looking at it. "Damn", I thought, "I've got the logo facing out". After a few moments, he asked me if I was a palliative care worker. I replied in the affirmative. He told me it would be good for me (!) to read this article and handed me the 'mX', which is a free daily magazine type paper here in Melbourne. He smiled (smirked?) and then got off the tram. The article was about euthanasia, or more specifically about a woman in France who was unable to access euthanasia. (Because we here in Melbourne need to know about individual cases of euthanasia in France!)
I can only speculate about why that man thought I, as a palliative care worker, needed to read that article. Palliative care is widely misunderstood in the community, so it could have anything from he equates palliative care with euthanasia, so thought I would be interested, to him seeing palliative care as dichotomous to (with? - need to check my grammar!) euthanasia, so wanted to point out to me what I, by association, have prevented this woman from accessing. Given his smirk as he gave me the paper, I tend to think it was something down the latter end of the spectrum.
I must take this opportunity to do some public health to reiterate that palliative care isn't concerned with length of life, it's aim is to neither shorten nor extend life, but is concerned with quality of life, regardless of length.
Whatever you do, don't assume you know someone's view on something like euthanasia just because of their employment.
4 comments:
Hi Campbell,
It sounds as though “Mr. Smirk” on the tram confused you with Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Palliative care is an exceedingly beneficial program for anyone in the final stages of life. I admire you (and everyone else) who’s chosen this for a career. It must be extremely difficult to observe people in pain and dying on a daily basis.
The patient, family and friends need support and assistance from clinicians to moderate the intensity of the situation. Perhaps this man has his own agenda and has incorrectly stereotyped what hospices and palliative care workers provide.
Remember to keep your shoulder bag logo turned towards you!
Nicely put Campbell! Smirking man needs to pull his head in! Maybe he hasn't had anyone close to him who's needed palliative care - he'd certainly appreciate what you do if he did!
Big hug! Keep up the good work!
Smile, small world Campbell..I myself work in the welfare industry (hate that term, its up their with 'frontline)...my clients are youth, and I deal in D&A... which seems to mean every obnoxious talk back radio listener type feels they can vent their frustrations at me.
Like your fellow travellor they have little idea of what I do, or what my position entails...I no longer tell people I meet casually ie at bbq's etc
People really have little understanding till a time they have a crisis and need to access a service such as yours or mine...then they may truely understand...
Keep doing what your doing, live by your own values and ethics...you dont answer to this person or any like him...
proud of ya...Abbey
Hi Campbell,
I have a bag that I use for my shopping and I keep the logo hidden too!
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