The Conversation project
The Conversation Project is dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care. Statistics show that everything Ellen Goodman says about the American experience is the same in Australia. That is, we have the same gap between the death people say they want and the death they have. … Read more
Who needs to know?
When someone dies who needs to be told? It can be hard to work this out, especially when you are grieving. It may not feel necessary and it may be the last thing on your mind. But letting the appropriate people know will stop them from sending unnecessary mail and … Read more
Dear Andrew
Vale Andrew, 20 February 1959 – 12 May 2015 “When you flew to the sun we were the first to hear about it…” From my sister Cecilia’s tribute to our cousin Andrew, who died too soon. Read it at: https://www.ceciliarice.com/posts/2017/2/19/dear-andrew
Things that I might forget on the first flight after my mother’s death
by Katherine Delaney That the captain was a woman with the first name of Rowena. That the mother behind me exhorting up, up, up in a high voice to her young child sounded like she was trying to re-assure herself. That I comforted myself by knowing that the fact that … Read more
Quality time at the sunset of his father’s days.
Blue is a yachtie who lives a life of extraordinary adventure. He has sailed – successfully – the ‘wrong way’ around Cape Horn, worked for a stint as Rudolf Nureyev’s personal assistant, and written a book about it, A Year With Rudolf Nureyev, with his uncle Derek. His action-packed sailing photos, complete … Read more
Patients need the truth at the end, says Jeanette
Heather Wiseman interviews Jeanette Lacey for Palliative Care Australia. “In my experience, about 85 per cent of Intensive Care Unit patients who had chronic and complex health conditions had never considered that they might be terminal in nature. Often it was only when they came to intensive care with an … Read more
Dying to Know Day
Dying To Know Day is an annual day of action dedicated to bringing to life conversations and community actions around death, dying and bereavement. D2KDay launched in 2013 and has seen 285 events and has sparked thousands of conversations about death, dying and bereavement. Go to the Dying To … Read more
Books: Grief is the Thing with Feathers
This looks as though it will be a good read. Author Max Porter, based in England, will be talking about his book at the Sydney Writers’ Festival in May. For more about this book, go to the Sydney Writers’ Festival Blog What we’re reading pt. 18 http://www.swf.org.au/blog/2017/01/what-were-reading-pt-18/
Breaking barriers to dying well – update
~~~ “About 70% of Australians have specific wishes about their end of life care but very few get to put these into practice” says Independent Patient Supporter & Advocate, Dorothy Kamaker. “In the United States it’s estimated that between 25 to 30 per cent of people achieve these wishes but … Read more
Book review: Journeys of the Heart
Journeys of the Heart by Jodi Rose. Arbon Publishing. After losing her husband, the famous Australian swimmer Murray Rose, Jodi searched out the stories of other carers who were there for those they loved, supporting them until they died. Those interviews turned into this collection of stories. The subtitle of … Read more
Remembering Julian today.
Today I’m remembering my brother Julian, who was killed this day five years ago, in a motor-cycle accident near his country property. As our brother, Damian, said in his eulogy for him; “There was an explosion of light too beautiful, and our dear Julian was shot into the Heavens, where … Read more
See you in 2017
Good Grief has gone fishing! We’re taking a short summer holiday. Look forward to seeing you again in 2017.
When a death exposes hidden tensions
When Mark’s partner Jane died, he didn’t expect the reaction of her family.
Can we do that?
If an expected death happens in the middle of the night definitely wait until morning…
