During the latter stages of her illness, Pauline and I shared many deep and often painful conversations. We talked about life, its meaning and of her regrets. I learned a lot about her that I probably would never have if she never became as ill as she was. It became clear that Pauline’s daily acts of kindness, thoughtfulness and putting others before herself, was the outward manifestation of someone lacking in self-confidence and the belief that she could ever have lived a life of her choosing."