Food and the dying
Most of the time, a person who is dying does not want to eat or drink. It is hard on us who love the person, not on them usually.
I don’t believe in encouraging someone to eat or drink if they don’t want to and I don’t encourage placement of feeding tubes and IVs to give artificial nutrition and hydration to a person whose body is dying. It is the natural order of things that a person’s body dehydrates as it is dying. The dehydration of dying is normal.
I don’t know why I woke up thinking about all this, but there are some stories Read the story »
What Do You Hope For?
A cure is one thing in which to hope. If it is our time die, what do we hope for then?
Hope for physical comfort. The fatigue, pain, shortness of breath and nausea (among other symptoms) we see or experience can be demoralizing. Know that it is possible to live with minimal pain and discomfort. Just like in anything else we choose, there will most likely be trade-offs. Just know you have a choice. There is always something we can do, always. You may not like the options Read the story »
Not Accepting the Setting Sun
by Vincent Dodd
The funeral was in the hill country, west of Austin Texas, on a very bright and hot Thursday afternoon. She had lived a long and loving life with many children and grandchildren and was devoted to various charities. She outlived a husband about which the kids still love to share of his goodness.
She had fought the battle with cancer that ended with an acceptance of defeat—in time to prevent Read the story »
Resources & Ramblings
Food and the dyingMost of the time, a person who is dying does not want to eat or drink. It is hard on us who love the person, not on them usually. I...
Take Advantage of UsUse us, it’s something you may want to think about. If someone you love is very ill in the ‘end stage’ of a disease...
A Gentle GuideWhat I wanted to do when I began to visit lunch groups 2 1/2 years ago was to let people know I was here to help them go through the...
Recent Guest Writers
Vincent DoddI am waiting for him to send me a picture and something about his life. Until then, I’ll share with you that I met him a couple...
Worth KilcreaseWorth is a Licensed Professional Counselor and certified as a Fellow in Thanatology: Death, Dying, and Bereavement by the Association...
Jim ComerFor twenty-five years Jim has worked as a writer, speaker, speech coach and creative consultant for Fortune 500 companies...
Interviews
Interview with Khris FordIn January this year, I interviewed Khris Ford, Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of My Healing Place in Austin, Texas....
Baby Boomers & Beyond
Parenting Your Parents: The Joy of Creating New Memoriesby Jim Comer. When we are parenting our parents, it is only natural to dip into the past. The old days are familiar territory and we...
Questions re: AlzheimersThis is another excerpt from THE ALZHEIMERS ACTION PLAN, a new book “… combining the insights of a world-class physician and an...
Alzheimer’s Action Plan…1A representative from St. Martin’s Press contacted me about this new book, The Alzheimer’s Action Plan. I’ll be bringing...
The Planning Begins
I’m getting together this week with Larry Farrow, Executive Director, and Brandie Baker of the Texas New Mexico Hospice Organization....
From the ‘Help the Hospices’ Website(the following article in its entirety is from the Help the Hospices Website) What is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day? World...
