“If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you.” – M. Montaigne (1533-1592) In 2021, former U.S. President Bill Clinton…
Category: Palliative care
Overcoming terminal cancer: a tale of love and resilience
An excerpt from Mirrors and Windows: Reflections on the Journey in Serious Illness Practice. I’m sitting next to Tony in the surgical intensive care unit doing my best to make out what he’s writing. He’s intubated and I’ve just …
Providing care to conflicting beliefs [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Tyler Jorgensen, an emergency medicine and palliative care physician, and discover the profound insights he shares on the value of home visits in patient care. Explore the complexities…
Grief and healing: Navigating loss and meaningful connections
My wife, Ruth, passed away in April, and I am currently struggling with the immense loss. I deeply miss her, and for the most part, I feel terrible. I haven’t reached a point of “getting over it.” Since her death, numerous people, inc…
Massage Therapists Ease the Pain of Hospice Patients — But Aren’t Easy to Find
The pandemic disrupted the massage industry. Now those who specialize in hospice massage therapy are in demand and redefining their roles.
The meaning of death in medicine: the role of compassionate care in end-of-life patient care
Death is an inevitable part of life, and in medicine, it is a topic that is frequently encountered. As medical professionals, we see patients who are faced with terminal illnesses and inevitably nearing the end of their lives. Dealing with death can be…
Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants
“One should . . . be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald I’m in a massive ballroom with numerous tables and promotional placards lining the walls and center. In att…
Inside the life of a hospice physician: Bringing peace to the dying
“I don’t know how you do what you do.” About 90 percent of the time, this is the response I get when I tell people that I am a hospice physician. “Isn’t it sad to work with dying people all the time? You lose all of your p…
Jimmy Carter’s end-of-life decision: Respecting patient autonomy and the importance of hospice care
A KevinMD article about Jimmy Carter’s end-of-life care decision, “The heartbreaking story of Jimmy Carter: a call for Medicare reform in end-of-life care,” indicated that the former president’s decision was heartbreaking. Howev…
The heartbreaking story of Jimmy Carter: a call for Medicare reform in end-of-life care
The purpose of the serious illness conversation is to offer patients a clear choice between treating and not treating an incurable disease like liver cancer. The goal is to give the person permission to alleviate pain and suffering. The individual migh…
