Last Call
In my mother’s hospital room there was a single window, and if you stood before the window, you could see the Aerial Bridge. In Minnesota
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When a Pet Dies
Momi Correa’s love affair with her Siamese cat, Suzuki, went deeper and lasted longer than any relationship she ever had with a man. Nearly two
Cooking for My Father: A Cancer Diary
It’s always been one of my signature traits that I don’t know how to cook. “Melanie’s hopeless in the kitchen,” my sisters would shrug, as
The Attending at the Funeral
By Pat Irvine, MD It was during the busy Christmas season when I turned my car into the parking lot of the funeral home. This
Helping a Grieving Colleague
You get the news Wednesday morning. A colleague has just experienced a death in her family. What should you do or say? What is the
When Your Spouse Dies: Coping With Loss and Grief
When her 69-year-old husband died of Alzheimer’s disease, Dorothy Wellborn was surrounded by loving friends and family. She wept with them at the memorial service.
Pain Control at the End of Life
A better understanding of pain — and how to treat it — means a gentler death for many patients with terminal illnesses. People who are
Family and Medical Leave
Within a span of six cruel years, Leta Stachura lost her mother, father, father-in-law, and grandmother — and then her husband of almost 34 years.
Elder Hospice Care
Mother Teresa reportedly once said that no one should die away from the sight of a loving face, and today’s hospices strive to fulfill that
Funeral Directors
William Counce loves football. He also loves parties. He particularly loves chatting about football at parties. That’s why he was so upset at one social