Tag Archives: attitude

STATING THE OBVIOUS

Posted on March 28, 2016 by

Some say: people want to know when they are dying.  Some say: people need to be informed.  Some say: doctors should be better prognosticators.  Some say: denial is a good thing. We all have our biases.  I have had the … Continue reading →

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WHAT AN OVERCOMER LOOKS LIKE

Posted on February 16, 2016 by

Ettie never told me that “My mission in life is not merely to survive; but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”  (Maya Angelou).  But she had lived this… She thrived. … Continue reading →

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GRADUATION DAY

Posted on June 2, 2015 by

Difficult to escape from my day job, I find myself honing in on statements while I am entertaining myself in the evening.  Such as from the movie Beginners, when the son says, “You’re not getting better, there is no stage … Continue reading →

Posted in hope, loss | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

HEARTS, FLOWERS and BUCKET LISTS

Posted on February 7, 2015 by

Hearts and flowers and sweethearts and love are mentioned everywhere in February. I frequently have opportunities to see gifts of love highlighted by the stark light of loss. This week, a bright bouquet of sun colored flowers were featured on … Continue reading →

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DYING WITH YOUR BOOTS ON

Posted on July 7, 2014 by

Something I love about my job as a hospice nurse: there are many opportunities to be surprised.  One of my daily mantras is “expect the unexpected”.  As I drove down a switch-back gravel drive in the middle of nowhere, I … Continue reading →

Posted in family of the dying, living | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

LIFE IS LETHAL

Posted on February 22, 2014 by

 I read the word lethal in a poem, it leapt from the page and I had to stop a moment to consider the impact of the word; for us as humans, for a hospice nurse who watches people in their last hours … Continue reading →

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THE TRAIN WHISTLE

Posted on January 6, 2014 by

Lying awake and listening to the train whistle in the early morning hours makes me want to get ready for a trip.  It also reminds me of the messages people share as their lives ebb and they prepare for their final journey. … Continue reading →

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LUCKY TO BE ALIVE

Posted on December 8, 2013 by

“Flying the friendly skies” is still a slogan, and as I boarded my flight I thought about Albert Einstein’s most important question to ask. “Is the universe a friendly place?”.  I said to myself, “I hope so”… as I put … Continue reading →

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THE FIDDLER

Posted on April 7, 2013 by

I watched an old movie last week, Fiddler on the Roof. We all ask what is the fiddler doing up there?  Tevye, the main character says, “Every one of us is a fiddler on the roof, trying to scratch out a pleasant, … Continue reading →

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MIRROR MIRROR

Posted on January 21, 2013 by

My last visit with Ida and she grouches a little at Gerry while she tells me she definitely has good days and bad days. “Today is bad.”  This is rare: to hear a cross word exchanged.  Gerry has helped with all the daily chores; … Continue reading →

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