Green Chicago River on St Patrick’s Day

Abstract

cian who has given up hope. The problem is the disease, which is advancing despite everyone's efforts. 7 To guide patients through a serious illness, we must recognize our own limitations about knowing the future and join patients in a more humble position of hoping and worrying together.In summary, pairing hope and worry as "I" statements enables clinicians, patients, and families who are facing serious illnesses to find a shared language for prognosis. This language is important because serious illnesses give us a lot to talk about. Like running a race, living with a serious illness requires preparation. Knowing the length of the race is only one part of planning. The grade, the curves, the bumps, the changes in terrain, the texture of the trail, where the crowds will stand to infuse energy, the other people running the race-these factors are as important as the distance. Equally important is how these factors change over the course. Will it be steep and slow up front, in the middle, or at the end? By releasing our focus on knowing and predicting the future and instead sharing our hopes and worries, we can begin these discussions.