We again recommend the best-selling book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by practicing general surgeon and Harvard professor, Dr. Atul Gawande. As mentioned above, open discussion and candid conversations long before end-of-life are definitely the kindest and most loving thing to do for our family members. Eventually all of us will exhaust the potential of scientifically based curative treatments. When that happens, Dr Gawande recommends each patient be asked: 1. What is your understanding of your current health or condition? 2. If your current condition worsens, what are your goals? 3. What are your fears? 4. Are there any tradeoffs you are willing to make or not? And later, 5. What would a good day be like?
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