“We must believe that inside, where our spirits live, there is an understanding, a belief, in those people we have loved and who have loved us, that they will live in us even if they are far away. And perhaps more important these days is that our…
Category: Palliative care
A story of a good death
Just over seven years ago, on April 22nd, my father heralded his 88th birthday with a thoracentesis to drain the fluid from his lungs. On May 3rd, less than two weeks later, he died, due to a blockage in his abdomen leading to sepsis, most likely from …
The surprising role for lifestyle medicine in palliative care
In his bestselling book How Not to Die, physician Michael Greger described how his grandmother, diagnosed with advanced heart disease at 65, transformed her health and lived for many years after switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet. It was a sem…
A deep passion for palliative medicine [PODCAST]
“COVID has brought us new challenges and a genuine opportunity to be part of the critical response to optimize the care we deliver not just to our patients but also to their families and caregivers. I am lucky, blessed to do this work every day a…
A bad death: the importance of truth-telling at end-of-life
“Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die.” — Nanak Her funeral was yesterday, and there was a huge turn-out. She was 67 and never cussed or said a bad word about anyone. She was much-friended and well-loved. In…
Losing my first patient
I had known AR for eight days before she passed away. AR’s medical record was littered with phrases all too familiar in the field of medicine: she had “poor insight into the severity of her disease” and was “insisting on all res…
Palliative care: Most doctors do not know how to talk to their patients
“If you don’t let us go home because of the vomiting, his time is running out … I don’t want him to be at a point where there is nothing else to do, and I don’t want him to go home at that point,” said J’s mom. ̶…
Does your patient advocate have access to stop the medicalized death train?
My mom has Alzheimer’s dementia and lives in memory care. During her February 4th, 2022 health visit, her chart reflected stage FAST 7A (a 7-step staging system for dementia). I am her patient advocate, durable power of attorney for health care (…
Complicated grief: the hidden pandemic in health care workers
As a hospice and palliative care physician, grief is a familiar concept to me. It is most often discussed in the context of loss of life. However, grief at the root is simply profound and agonizing distress caused by loss — any loss. In hospice a…
How do we explain the end-of-life rally?
Granny Rachel, my husband’s mother, was an old country soul. She was a simple lady who loved the Lord. She accepted me with open arms when my own parents turned their backs on me. Granny Rachel made the best sweet tea and the best homemade vegeta…
