About the Book

You Live! You Die! Who Decides?  A Textbook of Life and Death.

Since not even science knows much about death and it is rolling in our direction at a high rate of speed we all need to learn as much as we can about it. No earthly person has ever returned from the trip, but we can prepare for it in several ways.  The first obstacle to overcome in our minds about death is the universal tendency to deny it will happen, to ignore it, and to not prepare for it. If one has no faith, no religion, or no belief in God and this is one’s firm, fixed, and final decision then eat, drink, and be merry and let it happen. I can think of no reasonable solutions for that position. For the Christian the issue is settled and no further comment is needed. In my previous book on Biblical Beliefs there is an extensive discussion on the after-life and one is referred to that.

Because of the almost universal ignorance related to the death of Terri Schiavo extensive studies are included. This involves the Grey Areas of Life, Life and Death Ethics, the Code of Medical Ethics, Bioethics, Anatomical and Physiological Studies of the Brain, Physiological Basis of Consciousness, Euthanasia and the desire for Death, 30 year Experience with Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in The Netherlands, Death and the Bible, Death and the Desire for Death in the Bible, and Humanism.

Where one can and needs to be educated concerns the events leading up to death for you and your family. This requires knowledge of the 12 Levels of Life from Normal to Death. Only then can one place a value on the quality of life at each of these levels. One must also be able to separate out the clinical levels of Consciousnesses, as we know them from alert, to alert and confused, drowsiness, stuporous, deep stupor, coma, and deep coma. 

The Science and Legality of death is reviewed by describing Brain Death,  Persistent Vegetative State, Florida law, Living wills and Terminal Care, and the role of Ethics Committees.

To give one a perception as to what can happen to the brain, clinical examples of brain destruction are given. 

After being educated from this book one must then decide if they  are capable of making Life and Death decisions. The truth is that some people cannot.

In order to develop an action that will change the shameful condition of death decisions in America there is an Epilogue describing the needs necessary for action. This includes Leadership, Salvation, and the reversal of the widespread Biblical Illiteracy among Christians.

With the knowledge in this book Congress should be able to develop a law or laws of the people instead of having the courts with ordinary men and their prejudices making them.

About the Author

Rear Admiral Joseph H. Miller (MC) USNR retired from the United States Navy Reserve in 1986 after 30 years. At retirement RADM Miller completed three years as the first reservist to serve as a Deputy Surgeon General for Reserve Affairs (OP093R), Pentagon and concurrently as Commander Naval Reserve Force, Force Medical officer (006), 1983 -1986.While on active duty he served as Chief of Neurosurgery, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, and subsequently as Chief of Neurosurgery, US Naval Hospital, Da Nang, Vietnam. As a consultant to the Surgeon General RADM Miller chaired a committee of five prominent civilian leaders of neurosurgery to develop a Navy neurosurgical residency. In the Pentagon he wrote and staffed the directive for the establishment of Physician Reservists in Medical Universities and Schools. (PRIMUS). RADM Miller has been to Bethesda over 100 times and every Navy hospital in the world and several of the large Air Force and Army hospitals. He served in the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J4) and subsequently a Navy Flag officer billet was established in J4. The first assignment was a Navy Reserve Flag Officer.

RADM Miller had duty with the Commander in Chief Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, December 1982, February 1983, and February 1984.

RADM Miller’s Military decorations include: Legion of Merit, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Navy Unit Commendations, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Navy Pistol Marksmanship, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Combat Action Ribbon, and Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V.

In civilian life RADM Miller is a neurosurgeon and served as Chief of Neurosurgery at Methodist Hospital, Memphis, and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery University of Tennessee and University of Tennessee Training Director in Neurosurgery at the Methodist University Hospital. (1983-2000)

RADM Miller was Founder and Director of the Memphis Neurosciences Center at Methodist Hospital and the University of Tennessee. He developed an international academic interchange in Neurosurgery with 27 countries. (1985-2000) He is on the Voluntary Faculty of USF Medical School.

RADM Miller is certified by the American Board of Neurosurgery and his memberships include: The American Association of Neurological Surgeons, The Society of Neurological Surgeons, The American College of Surgeons, The Society of Medical Consultants to the Armed Forces and The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. Civilian activities include: Mission Service Corps, The White House, May 1978. Served on the Boards of Union University, Mars Hill College, Samford University, and Regions Bank. He has researched and lectured on the Philosophy of War seventy-five times.

RADM Miller has been a Southern Baptist Deacon for 53 years, and taught Sunday School for thirty years. He is currently a member of First Baptist Church, Brandon, Florida. He is a 4,500-hour pilot and recently passed the course to be a Coast Guard Captain. He is married to Cathy Miller and they live in Apollo Beach, Florida.