How Would You Spell DNR?

I just read a story from the New York Times about hospitals that use bracelets to advise staff of important patient conditions.  These include allergies, a risk of falling and the fact that the patient has indicated that they do not wish to be resuscitated.  This last category is causing all sorts of problems.

The article made me sad as I read about the debate over how to best indicate a patient’s wishes about their treatment choices. Some are uncomfortable with the idea of putting DNR (for Do Not Resuscitate) on someone’s wrist and feel that somehow “a white dove carrying an olive branch” (Seriously! I’m not making that up!) or “the initials A.N.D., for ‘allow natural death’,” are a better idea.  They even go so far as to say that it is a “gentler alternative”.  What??  A gentler alternative? Really?

I never cease to be puzzled and amused at how our Western culture tries to sanitize the concept of mortality and death. The very word “death” is a taboo.  When I was writing my first book, I wanted to use “death” in the title.  EVERYONE told me that I would be crazy to do this.

“You’d be crazy to do that!” they said. (Really, they did) “It will alienate people!  No one will look at a book with ‘death’ in the title! They’ll see that word and run the other way!”

I’m well aware of how our society reacts to this unfortunate fact of life (which is ultimately why I chose to call my book “What’s Your Expiry Date? Embrace Your Mortality - Live With Vitality“), but my question is: WHY?

Everyone dies.  No exceptions.  Saying that is not morbid, it’s just a fact of life.  We don’t get carried away by a white dove with an olive branch - our bodies just stop working.  So why do we run from the word?  Why do we hide from the concept?  Does ignoring and denying the inevitable really add to the quality of our lives? I want to hear from you on this one in the comments section.