'A Milena' (Un ensayo de Medicina Narrativa)

Narrative medicine is becoming an increasingly popular way of communicating medical problems. This a letter that the author sends to a recently deceased patient. He describes his apprehensions on the use of invasive forms of diagnosis or treatments and the use of repeated hospital admissions in the context of a chronic and progressive disease. He also discusses the use of methods to "accelerate" death in suffering patients. He finally describes the dignity of his patient to face a chronic and debilitating condition (Rev Méd Chile 2001; 129: 685-7)