Most of these contributed pieces have concerned friends or loved ones who have died after extended illnesses. And while all death feels tragic, these at least extend the grace of time to adjust to the new realities dictated by disease.… Continue Reading
Grief can take many forms. In the case of this week’s guest author, Noelle Bickle, it took the form of a ladybug, after her mother’s cancer death, just after Thanksgiving last year. By Noelle Bickle Two days before my mother… Continue Reading
In this short extract from the book Conversations on Dying, Dr. Larry Librach and author Phil Dwyer are discussing one of the most onerous psychological impacts affecting cancer patients: feeling like a burden to caregivers, friends and family. In his… Continue Reading
Guest author Elaine Jackson concludes her post on the death of her father-in-law.
Guest author Elaine Jackson, on the death of her father-in-law. This brave and vivid account reminded me of so many aspects of the death of my brother, John. Please note that Elaine has changed the names of the family members… Continue Reading
The final installment of guest author Heidi Croot’s reminiscence of caring for her dying father.
This week’s guest author, Heidi Croot, tackles complex and difficult themes. What do we do when the struggle gets too much for the dying? Do we fight, or let them go? She also explores her relationship with her father, and… Continue Reading
This week’s guest author (full disclosure) is my wife, Natalie Parry. Natalie works in North America’s largest palliative care centre. She’s passionate about palliative care, and here she explains where that passion was born and how it was nurtured.
Today’s guest author recalls a time when families laid out their loved ones themselves, in their own parlours, performing those last acts of love and duty: washing and dressing the corpse, laying it out. She reminds us of something Larry… Continue Reading
When Anya first contacted me, via email, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to tell her story, but she wanted to try. I encouraged her to write it, even if she didn’t want it to be posted. We spent some… Continue Reading
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