What Would You Do if It Were Your Kid?

When patients or family members ask us what we'd do if the patient were our relative, how do we balance our professional judgment with personal judgments? And what if what we're recommending is different from what we would do for our own child or spouse? I know we're not supposed to have favorites, but Lizzy was one of mine. She was 8 years old. Her eyes still sparkled, even though her curly brown hair had long since fallen out because of radiation and chemotherapy for a malignant brain tumor. When the tumor recurred, her parents and I knew she would ultimately die of her disease. But she felt fine, and it was impossible not to give second-line therapy a try. Things did not go well. Within 2 months, Lizzy had a worn and vacant stare, and her normally animated face was expressionless. Then, during an