Not a coincidence that she spelled it correctly - she copied it from Wikipedia without giving them the credit. Here's the Wiki link and their first paragraph.
Granted, Pamela needs help, lots and lots and lots of help.
And probably even this type of help.
But I'm having considerable difficulty accepting:
I think this term Palliative Care has been mentioned this evening, but I was out of it.....
Both instinct and intuition rebel against accepting that this is what really happened.
It seems more likely to me Pamela was just flailing around, trying to add on to her tale of woe so as to get even more sympathy, and made this up (not the definition, but the phrase, the way she heard about it); adding more icing to her cake.
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On a sort of related topic, one wonders if Pamela hasn't been having this rash of physical problems because she's having some difficulties at work, but is repressing that. (Of what nature, I would have no idea.) This is common for her sort of people; she craves sympathy, but doesn't want that to be the reason. Being ill (or "ill") is a good substitute for what's really ailing her.