Category Archives: Death and living while dying
Framework for the end of life conversation:
I have come to some framework for thinking about the end of life conversation: 1. we don’t know when death is approaching; 2. we never anymore reach the point of nothing more we can do; 3. having the conversation reduces … Continue reading →
No inoculation against death
I cannot offer you an inoculation against death. But I do offer you an inoculation against the avoidable suffering of death. :- Doug.
What I want for you:
What I want for you: 1. To have the conversation with your family; 2. To have the conversation with your doctor. :- Doug.
How do we know when we are dying?
How do we know when we are dying? When ought we bring our 17 Things into play? Is it a per centage chance of survival? Is it time left? Is it when we don’t like the looks of life if … Continue reading →
Never get to nothing more we can do
We are faced with a powerful combination—we don’t know when we’re dying; we never get to “nothing more we can do.” So we keep pushing the gas pedal. The brakes are not necessary: can’t we coast gently to rest? :- … Continue reading →
Why at the end of life do we make poor decisions?
Why at end of life do we make poor decisions? There are several issues interrelated: 1. we don’t anymore know when someone is dying; 2. we want to hang on to life, but we have not thought about what living … Continue reading →
Let’s not steal from someone their death
Let’s not steal from someone their death. :- Doug.
Mechanical deaths
People are dying mechanical deaths Ventilator, respirator, stomach tubes, O! Couldn’t we spare them our own human touch? :- Doug.
People are dying
People are dying Far from gently Far from home We can make it better We can bring them home :- Doug.
Discovered: I am not immune to aging
I have discovered I am not immune to the aging process. So I’m probably not immune to the part about dying. :- Doug.
The wet washcloth
It has been said we spend more medical Dollars in the last months of life than the rest of life. Is it because our society wants—we want—to do something? To apply technology even to death? What if we shifted some … Continue reading →
Pushy way we want medicine practiced
More people on hospice as compared with people not on hospice live to 1 year and 2 years after diagnosis. Live longer with less aggressive more kindly caring. What does this say about medicine and particularly the pushy way we … Continue reading →
The hopeful part
The hopeful part The exciting part Whatever we know The world Billows ever more :- Doug.
Posted in Aging, Caring, Death and living while dying, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness, Poetry
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Gently
I cannot have a handle on you But I can camp out beside :- Doug.
What are people doing dying?
What are people doing dying? Living yet (I hope) What are people doing living? Creating yet (new expanses to the day) :- Doug.
Stories about good deaths?
What are the stories we tell each other about good and bad deaths? How might we improve our storytelling? :- Doug.
A whole litter
Advance Care Planning is not primarily to capture wishes But to coax them out of hiding And to engender a whole litter of them :- Doug.