End of Life

The One Where We Lost Someone, And Christmas Came Anyway

Care Partners, Celebration, Christmas, Community, Elderhood, End of Life, Family and Care, Grief, Love, Stress /

The answer to today’s Wordle puzzle was “ninja.” Immediately, tears pricked my eyes and a thousand memories flooded my brain.  I miss my favourite ninja. You may have read about the passing of my lovely niece, Jenn, this last August. https://smallmiracles.online/the-not-so-small-miracle-of-jenn-a-life-well-lived/  As a marathon runner, she would get up before sunrise during Manitoba winters to […]

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The (not so) Small Miracle of Jenn. A Life Well Lived.

4 Comments / Death, End of Life, Grief, Love, Parkinson's Disease, Small Miracles /

                    “I have never had a day that didn’t sparkle in some way.” Jennifer Dawn Shearer (1974-2023) Forty-nine years ago, I worked as a teenager among the troubled youth in Ontario housing. I received a call one day that changed my life. It made me grin

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Everything You Know About Food Changes at End-of-Life

1 Comment / Care Partners, Death, End of Life, Family and Care, Long-Term-Care, Medical Care, Nutrition, Palliative Care /

An apple a day.. “Eat your vegetables!” Love at first bite. Life is uncertain, eat dessert first. You are what you eat. Ever think about how much of our life is obsessed with food? That’s not a bad thing, as obviously we need to eat to live, and proper nutrition is important. Beyond that, food

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How to Navigate Agonizing End-of-Life Decisions

Care Partners, Death, End of Life, Family and Care, Long-Term-Care, Medical Care, Palliative Care /

End-of-life decisions are gut-wrenching. That’s why it’s important to have current information and communicate. Knowing your elder’s wishes makes difficult choices possible. If you are in the position of making a decision for someone who isn’t able to tell you their wishes, having clear, up-to-date information gives you the best tools. DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)

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Six Reasons To Say “No” To A Hospital Visit

Care Partners, Death, Dementia, Elderhood, End of Life, Family and Care, Independence/Choice, Interventions, Palliative Care /

“We can’t deal with this problem here. She needs to go to hospital.” They are all looking at you. The doctor, the nurses, the care staff, your family. As your mother’s care partner and power of attorney, the next decision is yours. Maybe she has pneumonia which isn’t responding to the antibiotics she’s been given,

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How to face your elder’s last days with courage

2 Comments / Care Partners, Death, End of Life, Family and Care, Palliative Care, Stress /

We all have our own version of comfort food. For me it’s rich Greek yogurt almost anytime, or homemade soup with almond bread, toasted, on a cold night. Maybe an herbal tea, but only the fruity kind. None of the green stuff. Or comfort clothes. In this hot weather it’s shorts and a loose top

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When the End is Near, What Does it Look Like?

Care Partners, Death, End of Life, Family and Care, Nutrition /

One day, your task as a care partner will end. Of course, you know this. Perhaps, on a day full of appointments and crises and decisions, you long for that day. In a secret place in your heart, you might think, “My elder has suffered enough and I’m tired. I’m ready for the end.” Then

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Palliative Care: Quality of Life or End of Life?

Care Partners, Death, End of Life, Palliative Care /

“Everyone on this floor is palliative.” My jaw dropped open as I processed what the nurse said. I scanned the hall, and saw elderly residents living life. A few sat in the dining room enjoying afternoon tea from china tea cups and chatting. One rushed, with her walker, to get to her memoir-writing class.  A

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What Is “A Good Death” And Is It Possible To Achieve?

Care Partners, Death, End of Life /

The two police officers grinned as they patrolled this section of beach. It was seldom busy on a weekday, and given the cloudy weather, only a few families visited, scattered through the area. What caused their grin wasn’t the moms with their toddlers, but the elderly gentleman stretched on a lounge chair with a beach

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Why Death Scared Me and How I Learned to “Do Death” Better

4 Comments / Care Partners, Death, End of Life /

Nine and a half years ago, I wrote my first blog. I pondered what I should discuss as I dove into the unknown waters of blogging. What topic would draw readers and create the audience I looked for? Death. I wrote about death. Before you question my sanity, let me clarify that in the blog

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