Difficult News

“The nurse said they would call APS if I didn’t find a caregiver for my mom at night.  They’d call APS for negligence.  I don’t understand why they would do that.  I’m trying my best to take care of her.  I’m here during the day, and she’s just sleeping at night when I work nights.”   As a palliative care physician (read Post 1: What Exactly Does a Palliative Care Specialist Do? ), I often hear from family members their struggles while caring for their loved one when their lo

"The doctors said he had a poor prognosis.  That was basically it."   "They said he isn't doing well.  So I guess we'll have to wait and...

At least a couple times a year, I sit with a new patient who is undergoing surgery, radiation, and/or chemotherapy and who turns still...

"I always thought I was brave and a go getter, that I could handle just about anything. But I don't want to know the CT scan results. I...

Doctors often provide best case scenarios. The best case is what they are hoping for, and it is what they feel most comfortable relaying...

"The doctor said months. What am I supposed to do with months?! I won't get to be a part of my children's stories. I won't get to meet my...

"When you go in to talk to him, don't use the 'H' word." "The 'H' word?" I asked as I quickly thought of every profanity in my...

(We all experience denial at various points in our lives. Some moments may be short lived - the shock and disbelief in witnessing a...

Sometimes during a palliative care visit (read Post 1: What Exactly Does a Palliative Care Specialist Do?), I am asked, "Do you have...

Are you the designated family member responsible for communicating with your loved one's healthcare providers [read Post 4: Eleven Common...