Unfortunately, doctors and health professionals, in general, do not study success. We are far more likely to consider an unexpected recovery to be due to treatment or a spontaneous remission. However, I have learned from my experience with these patients by asking them, Why didnt you die when you were supposed to? that they always have a story to tell. As an intern, I can recall realizing that the seniors with hip fractures who were noisy and demanding didnt develop pneumonia and die, while those submissive and quiet seniors who never raised their voice or caused a problem had a much higher mortality rate.