Ted Talk on Palliative Care

Living happens

To all of us.

 

Dying happens.
To all of us.

Yes, it can be sad and messy and powerful and
hard and normal and absurd and
everything in between.

Because dying is
part of life.

So many of us think of life and death as two separate things.

 

It doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, the two are connected.

 

What if the things we cherish most in life were the same

things we carry with us toward death? Those moments that make us feel awake.

  Loved. Human.

What if we could live our lives – fully – all the way to the end?

 

 

The Executive Director of Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco did a Ted Talk on Palliative Care.  I was moved by this man's personal story but more moved by his passion for living life, finding beauty and joy in those moments that you think there just can't possibly be any.  If you live or love you should watch this talk.  It can teach all of us the importance of compassion.

 

http://video.ted.com/talk/podcast/2015/None/BJMiller_2015-480p.mp4



Another Day in Hades

4:15 pm – We took cheesecake for Steve tonight.  Steve kept saying, “I’m trying with her.” And “She won’t.”.  'Her' and 'She' is Eve. I asked if he was trying to get her to take him and he nodded.  He ate most of the ravioli and potatoes but didn’t like the bread.  He really likes the fruit cocktail of all things.  He even eats the squishy grapes ... blah.   We brought him cheesecake again and he really enjoyed it.  He did ask for a beer.  (He does this every time we come.) 

We walked the halls and met up with Steve's ‘Spanish Beauty’ who sang to him twice.  She is a lovely woman who is in the long-term care wing.  She seems to be trying to make the most of what is her life but when you first look at her, before she has a chance to react, she looks sad and forlorn. She sings Spanish love songs and it is achingly beautiful.  We haven't seen anyone visiting her which makes me sad. 

This is a sad place.  It has little joy.  You can see the visitors trying but the smiles seem pasted on for the person they are visiting.  The moment their backs are turned you can see the sadness or sorrow on their faces.  Do I have this too?  I know I feel that way.