The most frequent comment hospice hears is, "Why didn't anyone tell us about this wonderful program before now? I have needed this help for so long." Most people wait for their physician to recommend hospice.  The truth is, most physicians don't know when it is time for hospice because they don't understand hospice. Physicians are trained in curative care. Great news if your condition is curable. However, life is terminal. 100% of us will die. Therefore, for those living with a life-limiting illness, the question for the physician should be, "Would you be surprised if I (or my loved one) would die within the next 6 months?" If the answer is "no, I wouldn't be surprised", then it is time for hospice.

Statistics show that 90% of us will die of a lingering chronic illness. (End stage heart, liver, lung, a form of dementia, cancer, or just old age with multiple medical problems) Only 10% of us will die quickly of a major heart attack, accident, etc. How the 90% live their life during their "dying time....which can last weeks, months, or even years....will make the difference between a good death or a miserable death.

why do Americans die so miserably? The Associated Press reported in 2012 that end of life care in America is deficient and is causing much harm. There is misinformation, ignorance and misconception in the general public and I believe, in the medical community, as well. My book will educate and empower those who read it.

Hello!

Welcome to my blog. I'm happy you are here. I hope the information I share will be helpful to you.

My goal is to inform you about what I have learned in 24 years of being connected to end of life issues. During my years as a hospice nurse my patients taught me some very important truths. I hope to share with you what they taught me and what I was able to teach them about  living at the end of life.

Lesson #1

My first blog is to inform you that I know that the human spirit (the person inside your physical body) should be the focus of care at the end of life. Dying can take days, weeks, months or even years. If the human spirit isn't cared for during that time, the person suffers greatly. Isn't knowing you are dying suffering enough?