A Life Worth Living: A Doctor’s Reflections on Illness in a High-Tech Era

A physician, medical historian and bioethicist, Martensen pulls no punches: beyond the marvels of modern medical technology “lies a treacherous morass of ethical, moral and spiritual dilemmas most of us are not ready to even consider: whether to opt for aggressive treatments, when to stop them, and how to die “well.” Too often the choice of aggressive treatment and heroic measures becomes an extended “death by intensive care”’ in grim hospital units designed more like prisons than places of healing. Thoughtful and compassionate, Martensen narrates poignant case studies, such as that of Marguerite, who undergoes ineffective surgeries and drug trials for advanced breast cancer but has debilitating side effects. The author lays blame across the board, from patients with unrealistic expectations and doctors who don’t explain treatment options fully, from profit-driven hospitals to an insurance bureaucracy that spurns routine health maintenance. Martensen makes his case with clear, compelling writing that never flinches from his conclusion that some things you just can’t “win the battle against”; you can only hope for quality of life until the end. (Sept.)