What can be learned from the medical treatment choices that were made in the final days of Sara Monopoli's life?

What can be learned from the medical treatment choices that were made in the final days of Sara Monopoli's life?

I think that had she and her family truly accepted that she was dying, and dying shortly, that her last days would have been closer to what she wanted them to be. I think both the patient and a person's family have to make the brave decision to say enough is enough. But I can't even imagine how difficult that particular family's situation was, as Sara was so young. I think it's a lot harder to make that kind of decision when it doesn't feel like it's time.

Sara was so young and a new mom, very hard choices for treatment. She was not ready to die.

Train the medical community to learn to pause. Not to press or pressure. Allow the family time to digest the options and still be available to answer all questions thoroughly and compassionately. Be patient as they struggle toward acceptance and act honestly - even if it hurts or makes a medical professional feel less than adequate. Be strong enough to enforce a patient's wishes.

I agree with ylhoff. The most important thing a doctor can do while offering diagnosis and treatment is to give the patient adequate time to absorb the facts. My knee-jerk reaction to a cancer diagnosis might be to dive into trying to cure it, but I need to know my odds and what kind of side effects my treatment would have. Do I want more time at any cost? Or do I want palliative care that would allow me a better quality of life during my final days? I don't feel that Sarah was adequately informed about her possible outcomes.

I feel resentful that the doctors could not be more honest with her. I am a person who would want to know what "they" think my chances are with different treatment options. I think that she suffered needlessly for too long.

Ylhoff’s answers are excellent. Doctors spend years training for their profession, but one thing I learned from this book is that they need a couple of courses, with practicums, on how to treat patients with terminal illnesses. Those patients would probably be encouraged to turn to hospice earlier.

This was such a sad story - heartbreaking - a young woman and a new mother. I think if he doctor had been more direct with her and educated her more on hospice she may have gone on to hospice sooner. She suffered needlessly. As a family they needed more guidance and should have been educated and encouraged to focus on palliative care and quality of life. The medical profession needs more training in this area. They are trained to save lives but at what cost? Sometimes it isn't worth the suffering. She wasn't really living in the end.