Transitioning Out of Life

Death is a subject that has often been on my mind because it began visiting the course of my life relatively early, losing a grandmother at 13, my mother at 19, my only brother at 23 when my eldest son was only thre weeks old, and since then, so many, so many more that have been important in my life.

So it was with great interest that I have been reading a series in the New York Times about the subject of the transition and how to deal with it:

• Months to Live: Fighting for a Last Chance at Life - VIRGINIA BEACH — As Lou Gehrig’s disease sapped Joshua Thompson of his ability to move and speak last fall, he consistently summoned one question from within the prison of his own body. “Iplex,” he asked, in a whisper that pierced his mother’s heart. “When?” Read more.


• Months to Live: Sisters Face Death With Dignity and Reverence - PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Gravely ill with heart disease, tethered to an oxygen tank, her feet swollen and her appetite gone, Sister Dorothy Quinn, 87, readied herself to die in the nursing wing of the Sisters of St. Joseph convent where she has been a member since she was a teenager. Read more


• Months to Live: At the End, Offering Not a Cure but Comfort - This is the third article in a series on the promises and challenges of extending, or ending, the lives of very ill patients. Read more

And this article, that does not form part of the series, nevertheless adds to it:

• Doctor and Patient: Talking Often, and Calmly, About Dying

And here you can join the online discussion at the NY Times Talking to Patients About Life's End