End-of-life

How do I tell my terminally ill father that it is okay to die?

 I always had this idea that hospice was whom you called for the last few days when all else failed and you couldn't really manage any more.

Well I was blown away when I talked to a friend who turned out to work at a hospice and she really opened my eyes...

When my father died, I saw things. Signs, I decided they were, messages from him that he was still around and watching and loving me.

Things like a '66 Ford truck, out of the blue. A particular song on the radio (Brother Iz's Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World...

If you're dealing with a parent in crisis right now, and you're having to prepare for the inevitable, how are you feeling? Need to let it out? Are you feeling relief that your parent will be out of pain? Relief for yourself? (And THAT'S OK.)  Scared...

It's such an easy thing *to* say, not so easy to do.

The well of emotion runs deep and it can be scary to bring it to the top, to say with words what you've always hoped your actions said instead. I know that I treasure the times my father said, "...

Where's the best place for those final days?

I like to think I could be at home, but it might not be a choice due to whatever the circumstances might be.

What are your experiences and wishes from you all out there? Hospice? Home? Hospital?

This would...

I had recently found out that a friend's mom was dying of brain cancer.  I'm met her a few times and really enjoyed our visits. 

The other day I just had to go see her.  I just wanted to say goodbye.  So I told my friend I'm coming over now...

Today I went out to our garden to pick stuff for a salad.  There was a writing spider in the middle of the tomato plants. Now it should be known that  I have never seen a writing spider except in Myrtle Beach which is where my mom lived before she passed on last year...

I guess i just really need to vent... June 2001 my Mom had a stroke which lead to 2 open heart surgerys it was a long road and I was her only caregiver as well as being a mother etc. after her stroke they had said that she would never have use of her hand again and have to be feed by tube etc...

The New York Times is interested in doing a story about caregiving and has asked if they could interview a few of our members whose devotion to their caregiving responsibilities has ultimately put a strain on them, either...

My sister-in-law, who lost her mother at least twenty years ago still goes to grave site on Mother's Day to bring flowers and have a chat.  In the first few years following her passing it was a tearful event...

I was talking with a hospice worker the other day about keeping track of important paperwork like wills,  insurance, Retirement accounts, etc.

She made this really good point, that many people now have all sorts of accounts and email online and...

We lost my father-in-law six years ago and I would give just about anything to have one more day with him.  I'd share a long list of things I want to thank him for.  So in honor of Father's Day, here are a few of them.  I'd love to read everyone else's as well...

My mom is almost 90. She has a leaky heart valve, high blood pressure, glaucoma, but nothing that is imminently threatening her life. Four years ago, my dad was in a similar condition, and it took only four days to go from being hospitalized to being dead and gone...

Today two prominent figures took their own lives as they struggled with their terminal illness. Chantal Sebire from France gained national recognition as she took the country to court for her right to die with dignity...

My father insisted on being cremated - he had no need for his body to take up space in the ground, and he now has an urn in a niche in a mausoleum.

What were or are your parents' wishes? How can this be discussed beforehand?

The anniversary of my father's death got me to wondering...

How do you memorialize your lost parent?

We find we talk about him often, I share stories with my kids about the grandfather that only one of them really remembers, and we...

What are the laws for transporting your loved one in your own personal vehicle after they have died?

I was struck by something reading another post about Euthanasia which is that sometimes we miss chances to go with dignity and sometimes we don't.

Sarah, a very dear friend had a cervical cancer which went into remission, then a brain anuerism which was surgically fixed, then liver cancer...