Of all the things people tell me affect their quality of life, fatigue and pain are the big ones. Fatigue is tricky. As doctors, we often underestimate how much fatigue affects daily life. There is unfortunately nothing in a bottle that can be prescribed four times a day to magically fix it. It usually takes creativity, adaptation, and support to work around it. Pain, however, is almost always treatable. Sometimes it takes one or two attempts to find the right recipe, but in most cases we…

Recently, a new patient walked into my consultation room with quiet confidence.  She was accompanied by her elderly mother; a familiar sight, and a reminder that serious illness is rarely borne alone. As we began speaking, I noticed how prepared she was. Kefilwe asked thoughtful, direct questions about her diagnosis and demonstrated a surprising ease with medical language. She understood timelines, treatment pathways, and the decisions that might lie ahead. When she spoke, she looked directly into my eyes (attentive and present), yet every…