in medicine, we spend a lot of time discussing the need for earlier end-of-life planning in response to the current state of irresponsible end-stage care. exorbitant amounts of money are spent in the final days on aggressive therapies that often fail to prolong life in any meaningful manner and instead increasing suffering. by mapping out decisions earlier, the final march could be far more peaceful and less torturous.
but when that life in question belongs to someone you care about, and it takes nothing less than a miracle for "the best" to be realized, acknowledging "the worst" as a possibility almost feels like conceding or hopelessly accepting it. with emotions on full blast and all rationality aside, it seems near impossible to simultaneously grasp onto fleeting hope for a miracle and also lay a mental foundation in preparation for death.
without condoning overly-aggressive end-of-life care, how do we find the "right" balance in maintaining hope and yet being realistic?
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