vital signs

We all know the importance of vital signs -- are you breathing, do you have a pulse, does your temperature register. Basically, be ye alive or dead? Yesterday, Robert added a new indicator, one that I think is important. For cats, it's Do you purr.

It's so easy to get distracted by quantitative measurements and scientific experiments. (Oooh -- if we add this chemical, what measurable effect will there be, and can we avoid killing the patient.) And yet, time after time, I've seen truly sick people who are happy to be alive, grateful to have some joy in their lives, while still being fully cognizant of dying.

I'm certainly not advocating for misery, illness, or negligence. Nor am I ignoring the set of human emotions that come with dying, including the rage and resistance. But I'd rather err on the side of a little more illness and a little more joy than vice versa, especially in an end of life situation.

I think with animals, it's even easier to go into quantitative mode. After all, animals have traditionally been the first experimental subjects of choice. And they can't speak for themselves -- they need human interpreters to act on their behalf. There are no medals for merely keeping an animal alive.

Quality of life has to enter into the equation alongside all the medical care, the medications, treatments, potions, and lotions. Otherwise, what's the point?