Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: bodily autonomy

  • Going boldly into the night: A reflection on “death with dignity”

    Lenore M. MontanaroNorth Kingstown, Rhode Island Doctors should minimize one’s suffering at death and uphold the patient’s right to bodily integrity and self-determination. If someone with decisional capacity is diagnosed with a terminal illness such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“Lou Gehrig’s disease”), Alzheimer’s Disease, or Multiple Sclerosis, to list a few, especially if the diseases…

  • Breathless: philosophical lessons from respiratory illness

    Havi CarelUnited Kingdom It is 12:28. I have just parked my car in a lucky empty space just outside my office. I have a meeting at 12:30. I am texting with one hand and feeling for my inhaler in my coat pocket with the other. I pull the inhaler out, place it in my mouth,…