PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ruth Kannai
AU  - Aya Rice Alon
TI  - Mourning My Patient, Mr Schwartz
AID  - 10.1370/afm.2710
DP  - 2021 Sep 01
TA  - The Annals of Family Medicine
PG  - 460--462
VI  - 19
IP  - 5
4099  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/19/5/460.short
4100  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/19/5/460.full
SO  - Ann Fam Med2021 Sep 01; 19
AB  - The story depicts my close relationship with Mr Schwartz, an elderly Holocaust survivor, spanning over 20 years. During those years, he became a significant patient to me; during my many home visits, we often shared significant conversations about life. When Mr Schwartz was diagnosed at age 90 with advanced cancer, we made an alliance whereby I would represent him in his decision not to receive medical interventions. For the next 4 years until his death, Mr Schwartz pleaded with me to kill him, which I could not do either legally or morally.Over the years; I was moved by his honesty, frustrated at my inability to offer him relief or a sense of meaning, and pensive, as I would inevitably reflect on existential issues pertaining to myself and my dear ones. Mourning his loss was complex, for I was very close to him, yet not a part of his family. With whom can we physicians share our sadness at the loss of a person with whom we never actually spent a holiday or family dinner?