HW 30 - Illness & Dying - Culminating Experiential Project- Lost in Translation

When reading Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death by Irvin D. Yalom, I was intrigued by the greek philosopher, Epicurus (341 BCE - 270 BCE). He believed that people should not fear death for death includes body and soul. What sparked me most though, was that these ideas have been passed on to modern times; how do we know that this is what Epicurus meant? I'm no expert on Greek language, nor philosophy, so I decided not to focus on Epicurus, but to focus on the change of words over time; Etymology. My resources were limited when doing this assignment, so I've resorted to using the Online Etymology Dictionary for the majority of my research. 

I started my research with the word, "illness". According to the site, it's origin is ill + -ness, from the 1680s. I already knew that -ness is "a native English suffix attached to adjectives and participles, forming abstract nouns denoting quality and state (and often, by extension, something exemplifying a quality or state)" (Dictionary.com). So I continued on to the page referring to "ill". The oldest definition was recorded around 1200 meaning, "morally evil". Then, around the 15th century, the modern (current) meaning "sick, unhealthy, unwell " was recorded. It's intriguing to me, how a definition can change over a few centuries.

Next, I looked up the second word of our unit, "dying". The earliest definition is from the 13th century, defined as "death". Dying is a verbal noun originating from the verb "die". To be quite honest, the beginning of the definition didn't make sense to me, "Mid-12c., possibly from O.Dan. døja or O.N. deyja 'to die, pass away,' both from P.Gmc. *dawjanan (cf. O.Fris. deja 'to kill,' O.S. doian, O.H.G. touwen, Goth. diwans 'mortal'), from PIE base *dheu- (3) 'to pass away, become senseless' (cf. O.Ir. dith 'end, death,' O.C.S. daviti, Rus. davit' 'to choke, suffer')". But the next section caught my eye, "Languages usually don't borrow words from abroad for central life experiences, but "die" words are an exception, since they are often hidden or changed euphemistically out of superstitious dread". 

The last line hung on to me; I wasn't expecting my research to directly relate back to any of the class readings, I was mistaken. "Religious leaders who, in an effort to increase their own power, increased the death anxiety of their followers by warning of the punishments that would be meted out after death to those who failed to heed particular rules and regulations" (Yalom, 80). In Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death, Yalom discusses religious leaders who convinced the followers of their religion to believe that death was negative. But the etymology of "die" shows that over time, humans have tried to make the idea of dying happier by "euphemistically" changing words. 

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't go into more depth with this assignment, but what I have found is still important because it can still be explored. I could keep looking up words that have been changed due to "superstition" or religion. Or I could find out more about specific religions etc.

1) Irvin D., Yalom. Staring at the sun: overcoming the terror of death. Jossey-Bass Inc Pub, 2008. Print.  
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus 
3) Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 16 Jan. 2011. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/-ness>.
4) http://www.etymonline.com/

HW 29 - Reading and Noting Basic Materials

Paying for Medical Care: 

Over time the financials behind health care have increased dramatically. In the 1960s, the average being spent on 1 person's health care was $1,066. In 2007, it jumped to $7,421 (Staff, 64).  The predicted amount for 2018 will be $13,100 (Staff, 64). Even though we spend increased amounts of money per person per year, doesn't mean that we jump ahead other nations as being defined as a healthier country (Staff, 64). Currently, my family is on COBRA, a government regulated health-care service, for those who are unemployed (laid off). For the first few months, COBRA, while not extremely cheap, has low monthly payments. When the person reaches their last few months of COBRA, the monthly payments increase dramatically. When a person's time on COBRA runs out, they have no health care and have to find a new, private plan. Currently, the U.S. is ranked at number 31 for life expectancy as well as number 37 for infant mortality. (Staff, 64).

Being Sick/Facing Terminal Illness: 

When one finds out that they are going to die, they aren't quite sure what to do. They experience a whirlwind of emotions (Albom, 48). When Beth came in to be a guest speaker, she explained that Erik was a fighter, and never wanted to let people see him suffer. This was very similar to Morrie in Tuesdays with Morrie because one of his main concerns was not needing someone to "wipe [his] ass" (22). Instead of focusing merely on the negative, Morrie discovered a positive to his ailment. He had missed a loving childhood, and having people look after him became his solace. This was due to the babying he received, it gave him the feeling of peacefulness of which he missed in childhood (92). On the contrary, with my personal experience with those who are aging, they always want to be independent and complete tasks on their own.
 

Isolation:
As a society, we isolate the ill or dying in order to relieve ourselves of guilt or pain. When watching the film Near Death, we were presented with ill patients, who were going to die no matter what the doctors would do to attempt to save them. We also viewed conversations between the groups of doctors as well as nurses, discussing how to take care of these patients. If a patient was unable to speak for themselves, the doctors would talk about family input, rather than any previous input by said patient. One family didn't want to even see their ailing family member because it was "becoming too much for them to handle". The situations presented in Near Death showed us that society isolates the ill, but tries to keep them alive as long as possible. As an opposite, in Tuesdays With Morrie and with Beth's story, the ill/dying were kept as close to family as possible. Morrie, instead of staying at a hospital had aids who helped him with every day tasks. Beth also kept Erik at home as much as possible because he didn't like the stillness and whiteness of the hospital.   

1. Staff of Washington Post. Landmark. Public Affairs. New York. 2010.

2. Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays With Morrie. 1st. New York. Double Day. 1997.

HW 28 - Comments 2

Comments I made:
Sophia: Did not do Homework 27 
Jasper: Did not do Homework 27

Bianca:
I think that in this post, you provided great depth of thought. You showed this throughout the entire passage and thought that the beginning of this line was your most beautiful of all, "I saw the sickness of a frail women, the lack of personal items such as flowers, paintings, and get well cards in her room, the lack of windows, and the abundance of pitiful smiles from nurses and people alike". While this was your most beautiful line, I think that you could have talked even more about the separation between the observer and the observed.

I realize that you did do this with relating back to Beth and Erik, but I do think you could have elaborated a little more personally (emphasis on the personal). You did do this at one point, "One can assume correctly that I never found out what she was thinking so, my thoughts wandered onto the next thing", but that line is talking about someone else. If I were you, to make the story flow more easily, I would have changed that to "There was no way for me to be sure of what she was thinking, so my thoughts wandered on to the next thing". This is YOUR story, it should be from your point of view; I felt that that line pulled the reader out of your shoes; it was a disconnect.

I think that your post was well-thought-out, and definitely went into a deep level of understanding. Great Job!

Young Seo:
Hey Young Seo,

I noticed that you only had one comment, and neither of my partners did their assignment, so I'm commenting in yours.

I thought the opening to this post was funny, in a good way. Another thing that you did was connecting your experience to society's beliefs in Korea, "In Korea, usually girls don't hug boys to greet except boyfriend". It gave an outsider (like me, and American) deeper insight into your thought process and reasoning. Overall, you made this post meaningful and personal.
One thing you could change is making the post flow a little better. It was nice that you decided to talk about your grandma, but I feel like it took away from what you were saying about your cousin. 

Comments on my Blog:
Sophia:
I thought the best part of your post was the first paragraph - there was a lot of detail and depth to it. I also liked how you told part of the story, and then reflected on it, and then told the rest, and then reflected on it again.

I identified with the idea about people needing something to do. It reminded me of my grandfather, who has heart problems (so he can't do much without getting tired), but still tries to do things for himself.

This also goes back to the part in Tuesdays With Morrie, when Morrie decides that he doesn't want to feel bad that he needs help doing simple everyday tasks. He viewed it as a good thing, whereas most people are different - they like to be able to take care of themselves.

Jasper:
The part I liked best from your post was: "I could have been sledding, building a snowman, or going for a walk in the snow. I thought about what she could have been doing at that moment. She could have been reading her newspaper...oh wait but that wasn't delivered due to the snow. Well she could have been watching the news...oh wait, she did that already today. Well she could go through old items in the storage room; oh wait, that's downstairs." By comparing the endless possibilities of things you could do, to the options that she had really was very powerful to me. It was powerful because it shows the drastic difference and made me think that people probably get very sad with a lack of activities as they get older and it gets harder to move around.

Zoe(9th Grader):
i like the way you opened this, your writing style is very good. i also like the part when you said "I thought about one of the big ideas of Tuesdays With Morrie; Morrie had a hard time 'letting go'" because it gave me more of an insight in to what you were thinking wile writing this

Dad:
I liked your reference to Tuesdays With Morrie, specifically the reference to “letting go”. The individual Elizabeth is referring to used to be a “get up and go” type, unafraid to face any challenge, trying to motivate others to do the same. Since I know who Elizabeth is talking about I can see she’s paid a lot of attention to small details. But I think the one thing I’ve noticed she could elaborate on is the challenge that’s involved with getting up and down those stairs; how she has to walk sideways holding on to the handrail one step at a time to navigate each and every step; how the wrought iron metal rail wobbles a bit, sometimes making her nervous. If no one is there and she falls? What then? That to me is when she seems most challenged, most afraid that something might happen.

Beatrice:
I liked how you made your post into a narrative one. Like Jasper, I agree that your post was more powerful by comparing the amount of activities you could've done as opposed to the limited few of the protagonist in your post. The old person you wrote about is similar to ones many people know (stubborn when offered assistance). Finally I admired your connection to your reading book.  

HW 27 - Visiting an unwell person

We look out the window to the hill in the yard; the snow is rapidly layering over the dead summer grass. She grips the edge of the kitchen table with one hand, the other on her walker; arms tensed. My arms go out in immediate reaction just in case she falls. She pushes herself up from the leather chair grunting a little, "umpf". She steadies herself and uses her walker to move about 8 feet to the sink. She begins to wash the dishes. She has a routine; fill a bowl part way with hot water, add dish-soap, add cool water, rinse. I offer to help her, but she doesn't hear. I stand up, "You know, I can do that for you", she replies, rather loudly, "No, it's okay, it gives me something to do".

"It gives me something to do". I thought about what I could have been doing at that moment. I could have been sledding, building a snowman, or going for a walk in the snow. I thought about what she could have been doing at that moment. She could have been reading her newspaper...oh wait but that wasn't delivered due to the snow. Well she could have been watching the news...oh wait, she did that already today. Well she could go through old items in the storage room; oh wait, that's downstairs. 

I shrug and say okay and leave the kitchen. I go downstairs to my room; listening to the scratching of the walker on the kitchen's linoleum flooring. Later, I hear her mumbling to herself, as the alarm for the drier goes off, so I go back upstairs to see if I can help. She hesitates, and opens the drier door. She leans down, not responding to me, and begins to take clothing out. She stands up and straightens her body, a little out of breath, and says, "you can do the rest, put my clothing on my bed and towels on the railing; I'll take them downstairs later". She holds the counter top and turns her walker around. I ask her, "Do you want me to just take them down for you?". "No, I need to make a trip down there later".

I thought about one of the big ideas of Tuesdays With Morrie; Morrie had a hard time 'letting go', he was scared to let other people take care of and do routine tasks for him. Morrie never gave into his illness, but gradually, he learned how to accept the fact that there were some things he just couldn't do for himself anymore, and someone else was going to step in and do it for him.

HW 26 - Looking back & forward in unit

The important ideas that stick out to me so far are: the current state of the United States health care system is inefficient (Sicko), we put the ill and the dying into hospitals to remove/sterilize the experience (Beth), "Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live" (Tuesdays With Morrie), and doctors use family input to make decisions (Near Death).

Listening to Beth's first-hand encounter with her husband's death was the most thought provoking source of information for me this unit. I think this was the most helpful experience because it was very personal, intimate if you will. When you're face to face with a person, it's easier to read emotions. Her situation was real, and we knew that what she was saying was what she truly felt. I'm not saying that the people that were interviewed in Sicko had no emotion, but Sicko was cut, edited, reviewed, cut, edited, over and over again. Every single part of someone's story is important and when its cut down to size, the audience can miss certain emotions and ideas. Beth's story, while maybe she didn't cover every single detail of Erik's death, was powerful and real. But, with that said, Beth's talk wasn't the most factual/informational source of information. I'd have to say that Sicko was one of the few "factual" sources we've gone over so far. I've learned a lot though from talking to my parents and doing quick research for some of the homework assignments.

When we return from break, I think it would be beneficial to explore more reliable numerical information, whether in class, or online.

HW 24 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 3

 Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom 

1997

Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group; Random House Inc.

Precis of Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom was a student to Morrie Schwartz at Brandeis University. While Mitch promised to stay in contact after graduation, he did not. That all changed when Mitch turned on the TV to a Nightline news special on Morrie nearly 20 years later. It had been discovered that Morrie had ALS. Albom went to visit Morrie and talk to him about Morrie's philosophy on life and death. The visits became more frequent, and on Tuesdays. Mitch decided to audio record Morrie's "last lessons on life" the topics including, death, fear, aging, greed, marriage, family, society, forgiveness, and a meaningful life. 
Throughout the interviews, Morrie becomes weaker and weaker; and more and more dependent on the people around him to help him live. The experience of dying puts a strain on Morrie's emotions, but he still believes that death is an important part of living. Death is an inevitable part of life; and so many forget that. Through their discussions, they discover that society has the greatest effect on normal practices (like marriage, or wiping your own butt). "In business, people negotiate to win. They negotiate to get what they want. Maybe you're too used to that. Love is different. Love is when you are as concerned about someone else's situation as you are about your own". Morrie's final course taught the lesson of how to live life and how to treat the people within it. 

Gems of Tuesdays With Morrie

"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live" (82). <---not from end of book.
This is quite possibly the most important lesson in the entire book. I actually have found that I see this quote, if not repeated in new words, explained in further detail on almost each page. The entire book is Morrie explaining that death is essential to life. Death happens to everyone; we're so caught up in not dying that we lose the greater picture of life and die unhappily.
"Make peace with living" (173). 
This is what I think really sums up the main point of this book; be comfortable with what/who you are, and accept the fate that is death. 
"Death ends a life, not a relationship" (174). 
There is a separation between life and the relationships between different lives. This links to the idea that memories live on when people don't.

Response to Tuesdays With Morrie
I've read this book twice now, and I'd read it again. I enjoy the style of writing; not so complicated that I'm checking the dictionary constantly, but still generous in sensory detail. For such a sad topic, this was quite a lively book; somewhat in the style of Morrie himself. I haven't necessarily made new conclusions for myself, but I've opened my eyes to the effect that society has on death; they tell us to fear it and that it's a horrible thing. But death, i found in Morrie's case, was beautiful. Because he accepted that it's a part of life.

HW 23 - Illness & Dying Book, Part 2

 Tuesdays With Morrie

Mitch Albom 

1997

Doubleday Broadway Publishing Group; Random House Inc.

Precis of The Seventh Tuesday We Talk About the Fear of Aging
Morie no longer had any privacy.  The only things he could really do for himself were to breathe and swallow food. Morie's initial thought was to fight the disease but decided to forget that because he realizes that culture says we're not allowed to be reliant on others.  Morie actually enjoys his dependency because he feels like he's a baby again.  
The topic of the discussion was the fear of aging.  On his way to Morie's house, Mitch observed many billboard ads.  He realized the models were no more than thirty five years old.  Morrie says "All this emphasis on youth, I don't buy it."  Morie believes that the young are miserable as well as unwise.  Morie also says that "if one were to stay at the age of 22, they'd always be as ignorant as they were at twenty-two."  
Morie believes that people have unsatisfied and unfulfilled lives which is why they want to be young again.  Morie envies young people because they can go to the gym and swim and dance.   Morie tells Mitch that he is every age that he has ever been.

Gems of The Seventh Tuesday We Talk About the Fear of Aging
"We all know how to be a child. It's inside all of us. For me, it's just remembering how to enjoy it"(116)
Most people would feel extremely violated if they had someone washing them, feeding them, and wiping their butt. Morrie did at first, but he's realized that we must embrace all age. If we don't love life, we will be unhappy forever.  

"I worked out constantly. Watched what I ate. Checked my hairline in the mirror. I had gone from being proud to say my age- because of all I had done so young- to not bringing it p, for fear I was getting too close to forty and, therefore, professional oblivion.(117)
Mitch is doing the exact opposite of what Morrie is doing/saying. Mitch is trying to hide behind his age, and stay as youthful as possible. He is ashamed to be where he is in life and doesn't embrace a potential receding hairline or the possible belly of a forty year old man.

"The truth is, part of me is every age. I'm a three-year-old, I'm a five-year-old, I'm a thirty-seven-year-old, I'm a fifty-year-old. I've been through all of them, and I know what it's like. I delight in being a child when it's appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it's appropriate to be a wise old man...I am every age, up to my own" (120,121)
Morrie makes a point; we've all been every single age up to the one we are now. So I have been a 1-year-old, I have been a 13-year-old, and I am a 16-year-old. I am every age up to now, this exact moment. With each year, each minute, I learn something new, thus progressing my views on the world and life; increasing my "wiseness". 

 
Response 
I feel as though this chapter was not only about fear of aging, but the act of aging itself. Mitch is more concentrated on the fear, whereas Morrie is more concentrated on embracing aging; as to not be unhappy his entire life.  I don't know who I necessarily agree with more; Mitch feeling that aging is bad, or Morrie, saying that aging is a wonderful experience. I would say that humans are never happy with where they are because something is always going "wrong". People are always saying "I wish I could go back to being 5 years old again. I wish I were in kindergarten again, so I could have nap time...I wish". And then I look back at elementary school and nap time; it was horrible. I was mildly bullied, but never said anything about it. I would get restless during nap time (as would everyone else). People take opportunities, like nap time for example, and completely disregard them. A five year old wants to play during nap time. A teenager wants nap time to be a class. 
We all take life for granted. So I guess I would agree with Morrie; embrace aging, but more importantly, embrace life. Otherwise, opportunities will pass you by, and you'll always have regret.