symptom care may even add a greater burden to the dying process through increased discomfort or by making communication with loved ones more difficult. Patients may reject such treatment when the burden outweighs the benefit. Sometimes, however, patients have special reasons for prolonging life to the last possible moment, such as the marriage of a child or the birth of a grandchild. Continued symptom care is appropriate under such circumstances. While imminently dying patients will usually stop
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