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mdlukasik's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
2.5
Great stories and message, but found it a little repetitive at times
amela29's review
5.0
I feel so grateful to have read this book. The Palliative care team that cared for my father in his final months made a profound difference in how I experienced the end of his life and in the decision making around when it was time to let him go. I have always had death issues and have said that’s because I can’t imagine life without me but this book has really helped me think hard about what quality of life means to me and what I want at the end of my life. Because of that, I’ve been able to have open conversations with my own children about my wishes. I think everyone should read this book.
katherinareads's review against another edition
5.0
‘we were both the death squad and the angels of mercy, sometimes regarded with suspicion and at other times with admiration’
tw: death - i am going to talk quite in depth about it so if you are not comfortable with this, skip this!!
if i were to ask what palliative care is, would you know the answer? it's a subject that some might be well-versed in, while others may not have had the chance to explore. before i delved into this captivating memoir, my knowledge of this branch of medicine was quite limited. at first, like many, i associated it with hospice care, but little did I know that it encompasses so much more.
palliative care doctors are ‘quality-of-life doctors’, meaning they help treat any pain or discomfort terminally ill patients have. however, their role transcends beyond that; these remarkable doctors also act as guides, aiding patients in making crucial end-of-life decisions - "is it beneficial to administer CPR when the body is already frail, or would it be an unnecessary burden?"
to some extent, we all view doctors as miracle workers, those who help prolong life as much as possible. that they should and would use all possible treatments under the sun to cure our ailments. but what if the illness defies all attempts at a cure? when do we make the tough call to let go and let nature take its course?
this read proved some very interesting moral dilemmas with the cases presented. sunita puri, the fearless author who chose to take on this demanding profession, is undoubtedly a formidable woman. the conversations she has with patients are among the most challenging you'll ever encounter.
imagine being in her shoes, having to sit down with a patient's family and explaining that even with feeding tubes and intubation, it won't cure their father's late-stage cancer but only prolong his suffering. how do you convey this message without giving up on the patient? she is doing quite the opposite, actually. it's about prioritizing the patient's comfort and sparing them from further weakening procedures.
as his children, you'd want every measure taken, clinging to the hope of a miraculous recovery.. but sometimes, that miracle simply doesn't materialize, and it's crucial to have these difficult conversations. it's about understanding the patient's wishes and what they truly desire amidst their struggle.
this book really sparked some profound self-reflection for me, realising afterwards that this is an important talk i, at some point, should have with those dear to me. sunita's own account of having such a talk with her parents in the book moved me deeply. she also questioned what she would want herself, and that was an even harder thing to consider.
man, medical memoirs are so interesting but so hard to read. but i love them, they teach me a lot, especially those about dealing with death & dying & the dead.
rating: 5 stars ✨️ (not only was the book interesting but gosh, the writing was beautiful - i annotated so much).
tw: death - i am going to talk quite in depth about it so if you are not comfortable with this, skip this!!
if i were to ask what palliative care is, would you know the answer? it's a subject that some might be well-versed in, while others may not have had the chance to explore. before i delved into this captivating memoir, my knowledge of this branch of medicine was quite limited. at first, like many, i associated it with hospice care, but little did I know that it encompasses so much more.
palliative care doctors are ‘quality-of-life doctors’, meaning they help treat any pain or discomfort terminally ill patients have. however, their role transcends beyond that; these remarkable doctors also act as guides, aiding patients in making crucial end-of-life decisions - "is it beneficial to administer CPR when the body is already frail, or would it be an unnecessary burden?"
to some extent, we all view doctors as miracle workers, those who help prolong life as much as possible. that they should and would use all possible treatments under the sun to cure our ailments. but what if the illness defies all attempts at a cure? when do we make the tough call to let go and let nature take its course?
this read proved some very interesting moral dilemmas with the cases presented. sunita puri, the fearless author who chose to take on this demanding profession, is undoubtedly a formidable woman. the conversations she has with patients are among the most challenging you'll ever encounter.
imagine being in her shoes, having to sit down with a patient's family and explaining that even with feeding tubes and intubation, it won't cure their father's late-stage cancer but only prolong his suffering. how do you convey this message without giving up on the patient? she is doing quite the opposite, actually. it's about prioritizing the patient's comfort and sparing them from further weakening procedures.
as his children, you'd want every measure taken, clinging to the hope of a miraculous recovery.. but sometimes, that miracle simply doesn't materialize, and it's crucial to have these difficult conversations. it's about understanding the patient's wishes and what they truly desire amidst their struggle.
this book really sparked some profound self-reflection for me, realising afterwards that this is an important talk i, at some point, should have with those dear to me. sunita's own account of having such a talk with her parents in the book moved me deeply. she also questioned what she would want herself, and that was an even harder thing to consider.
man, medical memoirs are so interesting but so hard to read. but i love them, they teach me a lot, especially those about dealing with death & dying & the dead.
rating: 5 stars ✨️ (not only was the book interesting but gosh, the writing was beautiful - i annotated so much).
cawhite's review
5.0
I gave this book 5 stars for the content and concepts presented here. Palliative care is something we should all know more about, and coming to terms with death and dying. Occasionally, the writing seemed a bit simplistic, but her experiences and messages are important.
chamilton3396's review
4.0
the book I wish I didn't need to read right now.
great story telling and provided a much needed insight of end of life care and what that does and doesn't mean.
the reflection on the idea of dying at home and its impact on individual and family alike was articulated beautifully and with precision.
great story telling and provided a much needed insight of end of life care and what that does and doesn't mean.
the reflection on the idea of dying at home and its impact on individual and family alike was articulated beautifully and with precision.
redroofcolleen's review
3.0
I understand the why behind the arc of this memoir, but it felt twice as long as it needed to be. That said, thank goodness for anyone who chooses palliative care as their specialty. We need more doctors like Sunita Puri!
mick's review
4.0
Overall, this was great, but it felt repetitive at times. I have a family member who does hospice work, so I was familiar with a lot of these concepts, but I enjoyed these stories.