Memento ... life imitates art: the request for an ethics consultation

This was a troublesome case, without complete consensus about the right thing to do. It seemed there were arguments on both sides: those who thought that the goal of comfort care without treatment was most consistent with his wishes, versus those who thought the additional testing and treatment might have produced a net benefit in spite of the burdens. Ultimately, the patient was placed in a facility with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order in effect and a plan for comfort care. He may live a few months or more. We all hope that whatever time he has is spent free of pain and symptoms, and that he is able to live a life of quality consistent with his wishes. The main story line is consistent with actual events; however, there have been changes in terms of gender, disease, and relationships that have been included to protect the anonymity of the patient.