Conversations On Dying

On Letting Go (fall 1974)

Most of these contributed pieces have concerned friends or loved ones who have died after extended illnesses. And while all death feels tragic, these at least extend the grace of time to adjust to the new realities dictated by disease. Today’s guest author, Barbara E. Hunt, confronts a different kind of death: the accidental death of a young man; the death of promise, of the future life that may…

The Smallest Flutter of Wings

Grief can take many forms. In the case of this week’s guest author, Noelle Bickle, it took the form of a ladybug, after her mother’s cancer death, just after Thanksgiving last year.

By Noelle Bickle

Two days before my mother died, the issue antagonizing my family was ladybugs. The untimely infestation of them — an unusual dilemma for Canadians in October — threatened the success of our annual…

A Burden Of Love

In this short extract from the book Conversations on Dying, Dr. Larry Librach and author Phil Dwyer are discussing one of the most onerous psychological impacts affecting cancer patients: feeling like a burden to caregivers, friends and family. In his final few months, Larry found himself falling foul of the same problems he’d seen his patients face over the years, and had to argue himself out of…

The Death Cruise Director

I first contacted today’s guest author, Julie Devaney, because I saw a Facebook post about a talk she was giving on patient centric care. It seemed she shared a passion for the subject with Larry Librach. I approached her to ask if she would like to read my book. Perhaps write a blurb for it? She would and did. And she also offered up this, her own meditations on the topic.

by Julie Devaney

The…

Larry Librach on pay-for-performance in the healthcare system

Larry and I recorded many hours of conversation together about issues ranging across most topics. In this short series of “soundbites” I hope to share with you some short extracts from those conversations. Today, Larry on pay-for-performance in the healthcare system. “How do you measure humanity?” he asks? How indeed.

Undigested — Part II

Guest author Elaine Jackson concludes her post on the death of her father-in-law.

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