Creating space to pause, reflect and share experiences with dying and death

All Stories

All Stories

You survived but did not live

You survived but did not live

Dad – I’m so sorry I let you down at your end of life – I let them put a feeding tube in when I should have just held your hand. You survived but did not live. I promise I will help others through this fear &

Read story

Privileged and very humble

Privileged and very humble

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

Read story

Holding the hands, wiping the tears

Holding the hands, wiping the tears

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

Read story

Relieving fear

Relieving fear

To be with a loved one at end of life To support a loved one who is with a loved one at end of life Transferring knowledge Relieving fear Saying goodbye Palliative Care Nursing

Read story

Defining our legacy

Defining our legacy

When I think of death, I think of the thousands of years of unseen human history and how so many of those people died without so much of a whisper. But – all those who whisper come together in one large symphony – defining our legacy.

Read story

I feel her with me

I feel her with me

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

Read story

Something sad and beautiful

Something sad and beautiful

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

Read story

I wish she felt freer in life

I wish she felt freer in life

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

Read story

The world keeps turning

The world keeps turning

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 –

Read story

I still feel a twinge

I still feel a twinge

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

Read story