When my patient was awake, she always wanted to hold hands: with family, with friends, with caregivers. One day she asked, “Who will hold my hand when I die?” I reminded her of her faith tradition and said, “when you let go of a hand here, it
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Today I think about all the times I have been with a person at the end of their life – (hours). They were mostly elderly friends whom I learned so much from, who have been encouraging me in my life struggles with my sons. Someone called me
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That while I spend most of the hours of my week holding the hands, wiping the tears & sitting with the suffering of my dying patients and their families, & that gives me perspective on the sanctity & beauty of life. I cannot seem to translate this
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When I first began my career as a hospice physician, I worked with the most amazing social worker/ volunteer coordinator. She introduced our agency to therapeutic touch and the healing potential of harp played at the bedside of the dying. She went on to become a naturopathic
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I was such a young, and naive social worker when I experienced my first death – Debbie – I was just 22 yrs. old at the time. I remember her actively dying in her bed. She had been fighting with her dad over many years, but he
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In the 9 weeks between diagnosis & death, we learned so many “secrets” of my mom’s life. Until she was freed by the knowledge of her coming death, she could not tell some of her own life stories & I found out the father was raised me
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When my Dad died I realized how greatly unimportant we are in the grand scheme of the universe & the gathering of all universes… and yet how greatly important we are to the people around us, who survive us… the world keeps turning but I am paralyzed –
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When my first born son died from preterm labor at 20 weeks, the comfort from family & friends, the surprise at the many friends who share their stories and the blatant insensitivity of some. I still feel a twinge when I tell people I have two girls
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When my mother-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer, we were devastated. She was diagnosed in Feb and died in Oct. Through this 8 month journey she talked to us about what she was most proud of in her life, a few regrets (not seeing her grandchildren become
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My dearest love, In your scariest moments, in your worst pain, even when you could no longer open your eyes and see me… I was there. I never left your side. My hand was on your heart as you took your last breath. You were never alone.
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