The flashing numbers are not compatible with life but, disturbingly, the final question is always the same: intubate or palliate? When I ask patients what they want at the end of life, many are genuinely bewildered. Perhaps her doctor was prepared to help her navigate difficult decisions at the end of life. After arguing with myself, I write to the daughter explaining that her mother’s story is an antidote for our times. I tell her we could all learn something from the way her mother lived and died, but I think she knows that.

Source: The Guardian September 01, 2020 17:26 UTC