American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [306]
Taking care of a new baby can be exhausting both physically and emotionally and can leave you no energy for sex. Try the tips on the previous page for avoiding new-mother blues. Especially with a first baby, your partner may feel left out and may seek reassurances of your affection. Your partner may also feel anxious about the new responsibilities and challenges of being a parent. Talk to your partner openly and honestly about your feelings, and encourage your partner to bond with your baby and participate in all parenting tasks.
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Dying and Death
Most people hope for a long, healthy life, and increasing numbers of Americans are living longer and healthier. At the turn of the 20th century, life expectancy in the United States was only 46. Today, life expectancy is approaching 80, an astounding 75 percent increase in one century, greater than at any other time in history.
Still, death is inevitable, and for many of us, it is a process that occurs slowly over a period of weeks or months. Unlike a sudden, unexpected death, a slow death can give a dying person and his or her family and friends the opportunity to come to terms with death (and to prepare for it).
The 10 Leading Causes of Death in the United States
Following are the 10 leading causes of death in the United States in 2000.
The information comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Stroke
4. Chronic lower respiratory disease
5. Accidents
6. Diabetes
7. Pneumonia and influenza
8. Alzheimer’s disease
9. Kidney disease
10. Blood poisoning
Terminal Illness
A terminally ill person should decide the timing and extent of any discussion about death, including organ donation or funeral arrangements. If a terminally ill person asks questions about dying, he or she may have, to some extent, already come to terms with it. Once the person has brought up the subject of death, it can be easier to talk about specific aspects of his or her death. Some terminally ill people want to know the facts about their condition, while others prefer to know as little as possible. Try to gauge how much the dying person wants to know.
The person’s doctor, family, and friends need to be compassionate when talking about death because it is essential to maintain a degree of hope. This does not mean, however, that you should encourage false hopes of recovery, which could cause the person to lose confidence in his or her doctors or miss the opportunity to say good-bye to loved ones or put his or her affairs in order.
Sometimes a person who is terminally ill or his or her family members or friends may find it easier to talk about death with someone who is not emotionally involved in the situation. In such cases, it can be helpful to seek counseling from a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or from a member of the clergy.
Organ Donation
The need for donated organs far surpasses the supply, and the waiting lists are long. But only a fraction of people who could donate organs actually do. The decision to donate vital organs after death for transplantation is a difficult one. Organ donation, however, ensures that the donor will make a lasting and meaningful gift that can help a critically ill person live a longer, healthier life.
Agreeing to the surgical removal of one or more organs or parts of organs after death can be done by the dying person or his or her family members. Most organs are removed immediately after death. The heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, eyes, and skin are some of the organs that can be successfully transplanted after death. A person may also want to donate his or her whole body for medical education or research.
If you decide to donate your organs or body after death, you must sign a donor card, which you can