Dear Mrs. P

Lau narrates her personal experiences treating a patient with inability to walk. Patient told her that it started as a mild weakness in your left foot, just more than a year ago. Several months later, you found that managing house chores, keeping up with your friends, and caring for your husband was becoming increasingly difficult. Fast-forward a few more weeks and you were admitted to the geriatrics unit for rehabilitation. The weakness was creeping up your body. By the time she met you, the disease had claimed your ability to walk and stand on your own. The disease would permanently keep you from your home of 50 years, and your husband of more than 60. Through your experience of illness, she learned that palliative care is about dealing with uncertainty rather than making promises and about accepting some losses rather than aiming for perfection.