living well and dying with dignity
When I started blogging the ABC’s of Living Well my intention was to share the things I have learned from walking alongside hospice patients and their caregivers. Given that I am now almost to the end of the alphabet, it seems fitting to delve into the subjects of dying and death. Mindfully crossing (conscious transitions) … Read more
Xings can happen swiftly and may be celebratory and joyful or shocking and traumatic. A Xing can happen in an instant, beginning or ending an entire era. A baby’s first breath, for example, is a joyful single moment that forever changes its life and that of its family. Another swift Xing is the moment one … Read more
Since Further Shore was founded out of my desire to provide education about supporting the dying, “X” is for Xing is the best place to address the biggest elephant in the room; everyone dies. The definition of dying is the process of bodily termination; death is the irreversible cessation of all vital bodily functions. Readers … Read more
I debated a long while about the “W” topic for the ABC’s of Living Well. My dilemma: Walking or Wisdom? Walking is something that most of us do without even thinking about it. Of course, that is unless (or until) there is pain, an injury, or some other biological limitation to walking. Medical literature praises … Read more
This one is especially close to my heart because of the community response to meeting Wayne’s needs during cancer treatment as well as his time in hospice care. There were countless volunteers helping with shopping, cleaning, meal prep, driving to appointments, and social support. These kind acts were in addition to practitioners offering pro bono … Read more
In the A,B,C’s for Living Well, understanding has many dimensions and applications. This word has a complicated and mysterious etymology that includes both Old English and Latin. Scholars cannot agree on exactly what the “under” is all about as a prefix, as the root meaning of “under” is beneath or below. Also, the “stand or … Read more
As a child, I recall standing on the long dock with my cousins at their lakeside cottage in upstate New York. We all had our own ways of getting into water that was often cold with underwater reeds that grasped at our ankles; or worse yet, eels! Some of the cousins just ran fast and … Read more
Once it becomes clear that something is testing our patience in regard to health or wellness, exploring the discomfort can happen in a number of ways. The phrase Testing 1,2,3 is most often used in testing audio equipment to ensure that the audience can clearly receive broadcast messages. In this second installment of “T” is … Read more
“Testing” as a wellness strategy or practice? Yes indeed! There are three different aspects of testing that may be useful to discover, establish, or maintain wellness during every stage of life, including at the end of life. Because I have many thoughts about Testing, there are three areas for reflection. The first comes from the … Read more
Self-support and self-care go hand in hand as important wellness practices. Like other practices in the A,B,C’s for Living Well this is a reminder to “put your own oxygen mask on before assisting others in need.” Support literally means to bear all or part of the weight of something; to hold up. When faced with … Read more