We have to straighten this out for ourselves before we are able to understand the feelings of others. We therefore must accept that life and death do form a remarkable, inseparable alliance. Looking at and dealing with human beings who are suffering against their will gives doctors and also nurses in our country the strength to accompany those patients to the end. In my daily practise my patients, knowing my affinity to the subject, ask me to help them in the end, and they also give me their living will or advance directive. If cure becomes purely care, you want to furnish palliative care.
Palliative care is well established in our country, and it is part of regular medical care.
We have 80 recognised pain clinics scattered throughout the country. But even the best care is not able to protect all the patients from agony and loss of dignity in the final stage. That fellow human being, in her or his terminal phase, is the one that deserves our full attention and all our efforts. As a compassionate physician, you cannot let your patient down. It is remarkable to see the power of patients in the final stage.