‘I want to die peacefully’: She was a fighter, but I knew she was right

Dr Ton La, Jr.

It was a busy night in the emergency department. I rushed from one patient to the next, trying to keep up with the constant stream of people coming in with various ailments and injuries.

One patient, in particular, stood out to me that night.

He was an older man, probably in his early 70s, who had come in with severe back pain.

After a thorough examination and some tests, we came to the conclusion that he was experiencing cord compression.