You can thank my BFF for today’s post. She told me I really needed to blog about my treasure map I created last year, and she’s right. It’s the whole reason I’m headed where I am right now, and it was inspired by, of all things, a presentation about end-of-life care.
You see, about a year ago, I got to hear the famous doctor and author Atul Gawande speak at my workplace. His books have inspired many changes in the world of medicine, and his talk that day inspired me. He discussed his newest book, Being Mortal, which is, in part, about end-of-life care. He told us he’s learned to stop talking at his hospice patients and instead asks them four simple questions, questions with the goal of giving that patient their Very Best Day, each day that they have left:
- What is your perception of your condition?
- What are your biggest fears and concerns?
- What goals are most important to you?
- What trade-offs are you willing to make?
I turned to my friend and whispered, “Forget hospice. These are the questions we all need to ask ourselves every day of our lives.”
Becca In Transit 