CHEST Guidelines-Terminal-Diagnosis

Terminal-Diagnosis_chest

Pdf Summary

The document is a poignant reflection written by Paul Quinton about the last encounter with his friend, Steve Shepherd, who suffered from cystic fibrosis. The narrative details their illicit meeting at a hospital, highlighting the restrictions imposed on cystic fibrosis patients to prevent cross-infection, which make such meetings rare. Despite these rules, they met in the hospital lobby, where Steve, frail and reliant on oxygen, exchanged a few precious words with Paul. The conversation was a blend of whimsical teasing and expressions of unfulfilled intentions, emblematic of their deep friendship. In a significant moment, they defied protocol by shaking hands, joined by their spouses, creating a lasting memory. Steve’s instruction to Paul to wash his hand afterward symbolically acknowledged the risk, while Paul's response, "I cannot wash you from it," emphasized the indelible mark of their friendship. The encounter is described as leading to "a forever," highlighting the emotional and lasting impact of their friendship. The inclusion of Quinton's poem "Terminal Diagnosis" further reflects on themes of presence, inevitability, and the richness of shared experience despite the shadow of mortality, comparing abstract images of black horses and cracked ice to articulate the weight of terminal illness and time's passage. This narrative and poem, published in the American College of Chest Physicians’ journal, underline the depth and enduring nature of friendships even in the face of life’s daunting and often final challenges.

Keywords

Paul Quinton

Steve Shepherd

cystic fibrosis

hospital meeting

cross-infection

friendship

Terminal Diagnosis

American College of Chest Physicians

terminal illness

shared experience