Loretta, a longtime Hospice nurse, now in Florida
I had a hospice patient who was a retired builder and lived in the country. Two days after I began taking care of him I also began taking care of...
Something to Think About: a blog on end of life
A story from Nancy, a Hospice nurse in Florida
I think it’s a great idea to share stories and learn from each other. I learn something new with every case. It’s funny, because nobody but a hospice nurse truly...
The Death Rattle (medically known as Terminal Secretions)
The death rattle is not always present. Those people that have more fluid or are more hydrated as they approach death, are the ones most likely to experience this natural...
Advance Directive
When do we talk about end of life issues with others? Right now, while we are healthy and our thoughts are not clouded with fear. Right now, we can make...
Grief for a Person with Dementia
Perhaps you’ve heard it said: Having a loved one with dementia is the long goodbye. We lose the person we know long before their body dies. As with all terminal...
Talking About End of Life
Each person is unique so there is no sure formula for when to talk about end of life issues but here are some ideas to consider --- Everyone has the...
Grief
Visualize a table in front of an open window. There are stacks of paper on the table, tidy, organized stacks. A slight breeze comes through the window and rustles the...
Grief and the Holidays
Our seasonal holidays are here and for those of us who have had loved ones die this year the holidays will be a particularly challenging time. Something to think about:...
What do you do when the Hospice patient improves?
Every so often a person comes onto the Hospice program and their condition improves. When a person’s condition stabilizes Hospice takes them off the program until they begin to decline...
How Do You Help Someone Convert From a Full Code to a No Code?
It will be our time to die. When the doctors have said, “I can’t fix you” it is time to reconsider what medicine can do for us. Medicine can prolong...
Beware of Life Expectancy Numbers
Beware of anyone who puts a number on how long someone has to live. There are so many factors that affect the time of our gradual death that the closest...
Why Death Comes When It Does
Question: "I am ready to die, why haven't I?" Answer: There is a process to dying from disease and old age--withdrawal, increased sleep and decreased food and fluid intake. Part...