Lamm and his wife are treasures.  They've raised and questioned many issues during their time here.

That prostate surgery?  To everyone else the expenditure is wasteful, but to the patient's family, it is necessary.  The problem is, indeed, how to balance these.  Remember the Schiavo case?  One side of her family actually convinced George W. Bush and Congress to legislate on what was, essentially, an intra-family dispute.  End-of-life issues are tough, for sure, and maybe do need to be made by detached parties.  Emotions often get in the way of clear thinking.