Goals / What's Most Important

Post 65: Optimism and Hope

"Staying positive" and "being optimistic" are probably two big ways to keep motivated in making the best of each day and working towards...

Post 63: 4 Steps to Supporting Your Loved One Who is Praying for a “Miracle”

Certain words seem to inspire strong instinctive emotional responses when expressed among patients, family members, doctors, nurses, and...

Post 54: Why Should I Care about My "Goals of Care?"

Honestly, you really do not need to know the definition of the healthcare phrase "goals of care" in order to advocate for the best...

Post 46: How Being a "Fighter" Can Alter Your Path

The particular nouns, adjectives, and verbs we choose to describe ourselves and our lives can alter how we see ourselves and our...

Post 39: Seven Steps to Talking With Your Family If You Feel "Like a Burden"

I count 1, 2, 3, and push myself up from the recliner, grabbing onto the handles of my walker positioned in front of me. I pause in my...

Post 38: Choosing Where, When, and How a Loved One Dies Takes Knowledge, Action, and Courage

Before I started working as a palliative care physician (read Post 1: What Exactly Does a Palliative Care Specialist Do?), I worked as a...

Post 37: "Do Everything" and Other Misconstrued Phrases

"I admitted Mr. D, a gentleman with moderate to severe dementia last night. He has pneumonia and respiratory failure. I asked Mr. D's...

Post 18: Decisions Based on Love Can Be the Hardest to Support

I have seen my healthcare colleagues become so focused on treating a patient, they forget that the patient is a person with a family. I...

Post 16: Medical Decision Making 101

"I don't want to be on dialysis, and I'm afraid of what will happen if I don't start dialysis. What should I do?" Mr. K and his wife are...

Post 8: I Want the Best Care Possible for ME - Part 2 of 2

The best care possible for a person is guided by how well they communicate what is most important to them to their family, closest...