Testimonials
Testimonial from RS
I had never interacted with a palliative care physician and did not know what to expect. Dr. Tapper provides holistic advice; not only about medical conditions but about how to communicate with people suffering from illness, how to address their spiritual needs, emotional needs, and support for their loved ones. She also attends to pragmatic concerns about how to retrofit a home for safety and comfort and find qualified care. I can’t recommend Dr. Tapper more highly; you will have an advocate by your side when you engage with her services.
– RS
As sick as she was my mom was in denial that she was dying. She refused Hospice as she considered it a death sentence, and talked about having another round of chemotherapy. She was unable to get out of bed or eat. I thought the idea of palliative care might be more appealing to my mom than Hospice.
In the beginning of the year my mom’s cancer was progressing and she was having difficulty breathing. She took a huge risk by going on a trip abroad, caught the flu and pneumonia and barely made it back to the United States. I received a panic call from the person who picked my parents up from the airport and ended up calling 911. My mom was placed in ICU and I called Dr. Tapper for advice.
Dr. Tapper listened compassionately to my description of my mom’s condition. She also provided helpful suggestions such as setting up a family meeting with my mom’s physicians to review her goals and plan for what would happen if she did not regain her strength. She provided information about Hospice and Home Health Care Agencies near my mom. She reminded me to obtain Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare, Physician Order for Life Sustaining Treatment, and Do Not Resuscitate Orders and where to place these in my parent’s home. She suggested medicines to help with the side effects of morphine and how to support my dad through the loss of his wife. After our phone call, Dr. Tapper wrote down a lengthy list of key points so I would have them to reference as my mom’s health deteriorated.
I had never interacted with a palliative care physician and did not know what to expect. Dr. Tapper provides holistic advice; not only about medical conditions but about how to communicate with people suffering from illness, how to address their spiritual needs, emotional needs, and support for their loved ones. She also attends to pragmatic concerns about how to retrofit a home for safety and comfort and find qualified care. I can’t recommend Dr. Tapper more highly; you will have an advocate by your side when you engage with her services. RS
Testimonial from GMO
My mother had advanced Parkinson’s disease and she became unable to swallow. Mary was just shy of her 90th birthday and she told me she did not want a feeding tube and that she wanted to focus on comfort.
Dr. Tapper talked with my mom to be sure she understood all her options and to be sure mom truly was at peace with her advancing serious illness and possible death. Dr. Tapper helped us navigate the healthcare system, she connected us with hospice, she helped me order the hospital bed and commode and other supplies I needed to care for my mom at home until she passed. Dr. Tapper supported my mother’s decision, and she helped me to emotionally accept my mom’s decision and support my mom so she could have the peaceful and planned death that she wanted.
When a loved one passes, having the support of an empathetic, brilliant, caring, compassionate and knowledgeable doctor like Sharon Tapper at your side is an invaluable gift. I recommend highly that you avail yourself of Dr. Tapper and her expertise if your loved one is seriously ill.
GMO