Never Say Die
by Chris O'Brien
self help
copyright 2008
read (partly) March 2018
rated 6/10: read to pass the time
This book was written by a man who was killed by brain cancer. The same type of cancer which is due to kill me, so it has some interest :-) Despite that, I only rate the book as six out of ten.
The author was a successful doctor and a tv celebrity (though I'd never heard of him). The bulk of the book (250 of the 300-odd pages) is his own autobiography -- fair enough since he was a successful doctor and a well known and respected celebrity. But of no interest to me.
I read only the pages (prologue and final 50 pages) which were about his cancer diagnosis and treatment. My rating is based on those pages.
It's good fun to read some of his comments on the side-effects of his treatment. If you are reading this book because you now have the same brain cancer, be warned: my own reactions to the treatment cover the same ground but were not nearly as severe -- so don't panic (yet...). I believe that the chemo drug dosages have been reduced since the author was being treated, so you may also have less severe side-effects. Still... the side-effects are bloody awful.
What I definitely do not like about this book is the author's attitude. "Never say die" when you have a definitely terminal cancer?! Then, as both doctor and patient, he says that every prognosis needs to include hope. What he means is, pretend that there is a cure for this terminal disease. That is, lie to the patient.
Okay, some patients may like to live -- then die -- in ignorance. I was given "the truth" with the initial diagnosis. It is then *my* decision as to how I cope -- or do not cope -- with the spectre of imminent death.
He also spends a lot of time -- or it seems to be a lot of time -- hugging his family while they all burst into tears. I can accept some of his reasons: he died ten years younger that my current age, his children were not yet established in careers, his side-effects were relatively severe. Still... it would be nice if he had at least considered -- or recommended -- encouraging acceptance rather than misery.
It's an interesting story, written by a person who was suddenly faced with imminent death. If you read it as a person with terminal cancer, there are some relevant points of interest. But the author's attitude is not the only possible attitude.
To me, the author was in denial, at least until he finished writing. (And he died less than a year later.) After gaining fame as a cancer doctor -- he attempted a selection of untested non-medical "cures". (With no indication that he added scientific evaluation to the treatments.) He denied the possibility of death, he denied his training in using well tested medical methods.
It is an interesting view of one man's experience with approaching death. It is not -- not at all -- an indication of the "best" way to approach death. It is just one man's way.
Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
... Agamedes Consulting / Problems ? Solved
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"Avoid criticism: say, do and be nothing." … per Ginger Meggs
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