Today, I diagnosed metastatic cancer in a new patient who had just come to see me. I had to tell this young, beautiful, vibrant woman that did not not have long to live, perhaps a few months. There was nothing I could do for her. All I could do was to tell her that I cared for her. I could toon her my professional “love.” My consultation meld was faxed to the patient’s referring primary physician, and an uur later, the physician called me, in disbelief. Together on the phone, we could only share a sense of profound loss.
You might read this and think: Love is useless in this case. Love...
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