Margaret Fitzpatrick

Margaret Fitzpatrick has the credentials, experience and knowledge to write about this important topic, about making serious decisions on healthcare for a loved one suffering a critical or chronic illness due to advanced age or other causes.
There are stories about her mother, her ex husband, and other people she has helped. These are probably the most helpful, and the most interesting part of the book.
There is also advice on how to talk to the loved one, to doctors, to other medical caregivers, to hospitals and nursing homes, and the legal system.
It was not an easy book for me to read. It is about serious illness and end of life decisions. It is also not easy to read, because information is scattered among its 14 chapters and six appendixes. Medical terms are sometimes used before they are defined. Each chapter ends with a list called Key Points, but the points do not always relate to the chapter itself. There are lists of questions to ask, but I was never sure the most important questions were mentioned. There is an index, which is a good thing.
This is a useful book. I’m hopeful there will be a second edition, one more organized, and even more useful.… (mere)