Patient advocate Dorothy Kamaker reports this note from the coalface in her advocacy work. “Deirdre wanted her 93-year-old mother Helen to be allowed to die. Helen had been three weeks in hospital with a terminal illness and was being “tortured” by futile treatments with no hope of recovery. For Deirdre, … Read more
When Mel’s mother Dorothy Richard died, Mel and her husband Gav decided to handle the probate themselves, without getting a solicitor involved. So what is probate? The West Australian public trustee has a good definition: “Probate is the process of proving and registering in the Supreme Court the last Will … Read more
It is fascinating but not surprising how experiences of grief can be quite different. “My mother died in a car crash. She drove into the path of an oncoming vehicle about 15 years ago – fully her fault,” Graham said. “We felt no anger at either her or the other … Read more
A friend on the other side of the world is grieving today because her father has died. When I go to pick up the phone it is her night time; our dark and light are not in sync. So no words seem quite right just now. Instead, just thoughts…… Megan … Read more
Gavin worked in the music industry for a long time – so music has a special significance to him – and he knew it did for his mother-in-law Dorothy, who as a young woman had strong connections with the theatre. But unfortunately, the family didn’t get the chance to talk … Read more
“I’d been asked by my brother Stephen’s children to say the eulogy at his funeral,” said my friend, another Margie. “At first I wondered how I could possibly do it, whether I would have the strength. As I thought about who Stephen was, I realised he was such an engaging … Read more
Palliative care in regional NSW at 1960s standards, expert tells ABC News By Liz Farquhar ABC News One of Australia’s first specialist palliative care doctors has accused New South Wales health authorities of dropping the ball when it comes to end of life care. Yvonne McMaster said regional areas … Read more
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
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
When Mark’s partner Jane died, he didn’t expect the reaction of her family.
If an expected death happens in the middle of the night definitely wait until morning…
Traecey was in a car accident when she was in her early twenties and nearly died. She spent many long days in the intensive care unit, fighting for her life. One day Traecey was unconscious and delirious. She told her mother, Pat that her Auntie Bonnie had been to visit. … Read more
When does grief become abnormal? And if we don’t see it in medical terms soon enough, do we lose chances to help?
