Letters

Care Packages

I’d like to thank Kathleen Burge for her excellent, compassionate article about palliative care (“A Better Kind of Care,” July 24), focusing in part on Paul White. Ten years ago, I was working through these issues with my husband, who had been diagnosed with throat cancer. After surgery and radiation affected his ability to swallow and G-tube feeding became necessary, he decided to forgo chemotherapy. I watched a once hearty man with an outsize love for life gradually wither away. But the last few months were amazing, because we spent great quality time with each other and our son. My husband was able to hike, target-practice, go for boat rides – do things he loved to do. We traveled cross-country to see his huge family and many friends. Our hospice team thought we were nuts, but he did it his way and I supported his decision. His life may have been shorter but it was very rich. For many, the decision to stop treatment and find some moments of peace in the time they have left may be the best option. I salute Dr. Vicki Jackson and her palliative care team at Massachusetts General Hospital for encouraging hope and counseling families through their difficult journeys.