When I Die, Let Me Live

Have you ever had to make a decision that someone told you was 'life or death'? Maybe it's another round of chemo, a surgery, or an experimental treatment. The stress at these crossroads can be intense. In Part 2 of 'Death by a Thousand Cuts,' Jay Fishman faces a choice that is fundamental for patients with ALS, a choice that could either shorten or prolong his life. But at what cost? And what happens when people disagree about what to do? Jay explains his evolving thought process and how he ultimately decided what was right for him and his family.

When a diagnosis of ALS turned former Travelers Insurance CEO Jay Fishman's world upside down, he leaned into his disease. But acceptance never comes easily, and there was much to be learned in Jay's journey through his illness. In Part 1 of our premiere episode, Jay tells the story of how he's coped with his ALS and how he redefined his world to move forward after his difficult diagnosis. We also meet Jay's doctor and learn about the close partnership they formed, which allowed them to tackle tough medical decisions together. We learn that behind any well-considered medical decision is a series of dialogues with the people we hold dear about the things that matter most.

This is 'When I Die, Let Me Live,' a new podcast where we take up the taboo, fraught, delicate, but universal topic of death. We'll invite you into the lives of our guest, many of whom are patients, caregivers, and health professionals, as we try to understand what it means to live more fully as the end approaches. In these stories, we hope to find our own voices and feel moved to start having conversations with the people we care about. Because facing death isn't about dying but leaning into our living. Join us each month starting at the top of 2017, and subscribe to us on iTunes.