“How much time do I have now?” His voice on the phone was calm, almost casual. We had discussed the sudden cold wave, his family, his niece’s recent wedding—everything except her illness. Then, out of the blue, he asked that question. It’s a question I hear often. Families ask it when they’re losing hope. Patients …
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Palliative Care
The Middle Path
For decades after completing my MD residency and becoming a physician, I held firm to a belief: diagnose accurately, treat effectively, monitor diligently, and ensure that patients followed my advice. This was the creed I practiced in OPDs, wards, ICUs, and even during cross-department consultations in the hospital. And it worked. Most of the time. …
There is no answer, only silence
She stood there, eyes fixed on the motionless figure before her. Her brother, just 23, lay on the hospital bed. His eyes were shut. His body still, but his chest rose and fell with each shallow breath. The monitor beeped steadily, a reminder of the fragile line between life and death. She was three years …
Beyond the hospital
“So, tomorrow you’re going home?” I asked gently, turning to my patient—a 48-year-old woman fighting advanced breast cancer. The disease had spread to her liver and abdomen, leading to fluid buildup, and she had been admitted for an abdominal tap and basic blood work. Now, she was eager to return home. She was frail, her …
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘆𝗲
Recently, we cared for a frail man in his late fifties. He came in gasping for air. His heart raced, and each breath was a challenge. His lungs crackled with every inhale. Both his face and feet were swollen. The ECG was very abnormal, and the chest X-ray showed fluid in his lungs. When he …