Author's posts
To avoid unwanted medical treatment: Choose a bulldog surrogate to fight for you
“Health is a matter of choice, not a mystery of chance.” —Aristotle As an end-of-life (EOL) consultant, one aspect of my job is advance care planning, which involves helping people create an advance directive. An advance directive (AD) has …
Grandpa’s remains are helping push up daisies
“Rejoin the natural cycle: to know that the last gesture you’ll make will be gentle and beneficial just feels like the right thing to do.” – Recompose founder Katrina Spade I love gardening and watching things grow, so I found t…
Breaking through the cobwebs of dementia
“Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!” – Joseph B. Wirthlin I love my role as a hospice volunteer mostly because I enjoy meeting the patients and hearing their life stories. I heard a tale from the V…
The old man’s friend: Refuse antibiotics to achieve a peaceful death
“If you don’t know how to die, don’t worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you.” – M. Montaigne (1533-1592) In 2021, former U.S. President Bill Clinton…
Unlocking the secrets of cancer conferences: an end-of-life counselor’s journey among pharmaceutical giants
“One should . . . be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald I’m in a massive ballroom with numerous tables and promotional placards lining the walls and center. In att…
What’s the sense of having a living will if it’s not honored?
‘This victory ensures that advance planning documents are legally enforceable and will be respected by doctors; if they are not, individuals can hold providers accountable for violating their health care decisions.” – Greenberg decisi…
Making death conversations fun!
“Arriving at an acceptance of one’s mortality is a process, not an epiphany.” – Atul Gawande Imagine a group of old (mature) friends gathered for a “girls” weekend in balmy Florida. The friendships started in grammar…
