Dr. Kübler-Ross, Who Changed Perspectives on Death, Dies at 78

[Book Lover]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/25/health/25CND-KUBL.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1093464001-QsOIGMkTYA8vU+Y0R6iPxg


Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the psychiatrist whose pioneering work in counseling terminally ill patients helped to revolutionize the care of the dying, enabling people all over the world to die more peacefully and with greater dignity, died Tuesday at her home in Scottsdale, Ariz. She was 78.

...


To bring public pressure for change in hospitals' treatment of the dying, she agreed to a request by Life magazine in 1965 to interview one of her seminar patients, Eva, who felt her doctors had treated her coldly and arrogantly. The Life article prompted one physician, encountering Dr. Kübler-Ross in a hospital corridor, to remark: "Are you looking for your next patient for publicity."

The hospital said it wanted not to be famous for its dying patients but rather for those it saved, and ordered its doctors not to cooperate further. The lecture hall for her next seminar was empty.

"Although humiliated," she said, "I knew they could not stop everything that had been put in motion by the press." The hospital switchboard was overwhelmed with calls in reaction to the Life article; mail piled up and she was invited to speak at other colleges and universities.

Not that this helped Eva much. Dr. Kübler-Ross said she looked in on her years later and found her lying naked on a hospital bed, unable to speak, with an overhead light glaring in her eyes. "She pressed my hand as a way of saying hello, and pointed her other hand up toward the ceiling. I turned the light off and asked a nurse to cover Eva. Unbelievably, the nurse hesitated, and asked, `Why?' " Dr. Kübler-Ross covered the patient herself. Eva died the next day.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Oh NO! It just can't be TRUE...!!!

:evilgrin:

[MallRat]

19. M*THERF@CKER!!! How can she be dead?!?!?!

THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING, GODDAMMIT!

:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

-MR

P.S. Next?

[MallRat]

20. OK... OK... God, if you bring Dr. Kubler-Ross back...

...I promise to lose 50 pounds and spend more time with my family. You got a deal? God? Are you listening?

-MR

[TahitiNut]

24. Oh my! It just isn't worth getting up in the morning!

(Let's see... denial, anger, bargaining, grief/depression, and acceptance, right?)

[MallRat]

27. She's gone. I've come to terms with it now.

:-)

Thank you, Dr. Kubler-Ross. Your work was invaluable comfort to millions of people.

-MR

[BlueEyedSon]

29. Thx, guys... I appreciate that someone got my humor.

Death is no laughing matter, but I'm sure Dr KR would be pleased!
(it only took 1 1/2 hours to get the ball rolling, I kinda expected better from the minds of DU...)

[TahitiNut]

31. Props, BES!

So much 'traffic,' so little content ... sometimes it's just sheer luck to even see a thread before it sinks into the sunset of page 2.

There're lots of marbles mixed in with the sharp tacks of DU. :evilgrin:

[mitchum]

32. Thanks to all of you...

I'm now ROFLMAO
well done
masterful
kicking
:)

[commander bunnypants]

2. RIP DR. Kubler-Ross

I loved reading your books and your theories are astounding.

A sad day in the field of psychiatry

DDQM

[Kukesa]

4. You really helped me when my father was dying,

dear Dr. Kubler-Ross. You soothed my soul while I was dealing with a much-too-early death. My thanks to you.

[WillyT]

22. Me Too... Me, My Mom, My Three Sisters...Bless You Elizabeth !!!

:cry::loveya::cry:

[Southsideirish]

3. She did a lot of good in helping people begin to overcome their

fear of death. I admired her very much.

[klook]

5. "I'm going to dance in all the galaxies."

What a great quote.

I read On Death and Dying years ago and thought it was an excellent work synthesizing science, philosophy, and humanity. Ironically, through her work on death, Kubler-Ross did a lot to improve the lives of others.

[commander bunnypants]

6. crimminy

I am crying now.

I actually worked witha neuropsychologist who went to scholl with her daughter

DDQM

[flamingyouth]

7. I've found her books to be very helpful

On several occasions in my life.

[pinto]

8. Bye, Elisabeth.

You helped us do the one thing that made a difference, at times, and that was to simply listen. The truth was always "right in front of your face" as you said. Thanks, and have fun, butterfly!

[DemExpat]

9. She has been one of my (book) mentors in my adult life.

Rest in peace Elisabeth.

:loveya:

DemEx

[MaineDem]

10. To dance in all the galaxies!

What a fantastic way to greet death.

She has helped enormous numbers of people face death and dying. May she rest in peace.

:(

[jdj]

11. Tears.

I read her book and watched the video about her when my grandmother was dying.

She and the hospice people helped us cope, helped us get through it without being paralyzed by guilt,

Rest in Peace, Dr. Kubler-Ross.

[Ilsa]

12. God Speed Dr. Kubler-Ross.

You served humanity well. I hope your end (as we know it) was filled with dignity and grace.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

13. a true hero

we will miss you Dr. Kubler-Ross.

[murray hill farm]

15. she said she was looking forward to death

a few years ago after several strokes...she said she was ready to go but that god was a damn procrastinator..or words to that effect.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

16. yeah, she had lost use of one side of her body i believe?

[medeak]

14. what an asset

to our lives she was.

Took her course 27 years ago and it's still extremely helpful in hospice. What a terrible loss. Am surprised she was that young?

[dumpster_baby]

17. Death is not a good thing, and I will NEVER go gently into that good night

It is the destiny of mankind to beat death.

[Karenina]

23. Death is neutral, natural

and inevitable. What's to "beat" as though it's a win-lose situation?

[peacefreak]

18. May her Light shine.

Her books helped me with my brother's daeth. RIP.

[Fovea]

21. Farewell Elizabeth.

You taught me a lot.

[TahitiNut]

25. Judging from the top 5 (not 1st 5) posts in this thread ...

... Dr. Kübler-Ross has taught us well. In this respect at least, she'll live on beyond her years.

I, for one, regard those topmost five posts to be a REMARKABLE tribute to her ... both humorous and iconic.

Props to BlueEyedSon!!

---

Oh NO! It just can't be TRUE...!!! (BlueEyedSon)
M*THERF@CKER!!! How can she be dead?!?!?! (MallRat)
OK... OK... God, if you bring Dr. Kubler-Ross back... (MallRat)
Oh my! It just isn't worth getting up in the morning! (TahitiNut)
RIP DR. Kubler-Ross (Demman)

---

[liberalhistorian]

26. Oh, DAMNIT!!!!!!

Damn, I'd hoped she'd live forever! If anyone deserved to do so, it was her. Her work with AIDS patients, and her books on dealing with AIDS and dying, were especially compassionate and loving.

I particularly remember her account in one of her AIDS books about her attempts to establish a home for dying AIDS children, and how it was scuttled by heartless, ignorant, fear-mongering, trashy repuke freeper neighbors who treated her unbelievably ignorantly and cruelly. But she held up under their attacks beautifully and never gave up!!!

[2Design]

28. a special woman....

[brook]

30. She left a stunning legacy.

Her work was a gift to me in the past - and having lost a family member just yesterday, I feel indebted once more. Dance on ,dear Doctor.