Gawande’s Father
Gawande’s father immigrated from India to the US in order to live the American Dream. He practiced as a surgeon until he developed a tumor on his spinal cord. Instead of choosing immediate surgery, he opted to delay it in order to continue practicing. As the cancer progressed, he stopped medical intervention and entered early hospice care surrounded by family members till his death.
Dr. Atul Gawande
Gawande is the narrator of this book, and he guides the reader through the different experiences he has witnessed in end-of-life care as a doctor. He discusses the complexities and tough decision-making behind choices in healthcare and advocates for more focus on the well-being rather than survival rates of patients.
Lou Sanders
Lou is a 70-year old widow with Parkinson’s disease, and is cared for by his daughter. However, he despises the lack of autonomy he has over his own life and the fact that the disease controls him. He takes back his autonomy when he enters into a nursing home which provides him with his personalized sleeping schedule.
