Final Note.
Since my wife and I lived in Singapore for long time, we are so used to helping family members and friends who came to Singapore to find good medical doctors in different hospitals in town, who could provide them with advice for second opinion prior to making a decision as to what kind of treatment he or she would be going through. We could learn from the discussions how doctors advise patients in facing the illness they are suffering. I learned about how the change in attitude of medical treatment in the face of someone who has a terminal illness, not to cure and make a false promise that the illness is curable, but rather to manage the patient’s life so they will not have to suffer so much. With this, the doctor helps the patient in facing his or her fate, not just giving up, but with dignity preparing for the time the Lord calls, which no one knows.
Again, this could be done if the preparatory stage which Prof. Adioetomo mentioned in her column is followed. So, I argue that in continuing her advice, once we are ready with enough means, be smart in you decision to spend your funds carefully and correctly. I have a bad experience with my careful preparation, but let us hope that with the beginning of realization on this possibility the Government decision to celebrate “Old Age Day” (Hari Lansia) every May 29, the bad experience I had would not happen to any other Indonesian. (J. Soedradjad Djiwandono)