Dying Well

by Ira Byock

Overview

From Ira Byock, prominent palliative care physician and expert in end of life decisions, a lesson in Dying Well.

Nobody should have to die in pain. Nobody should have to die alone.

This is Ira Byock's dream, and he is dedicating his life to making it come true. Dying Well brings us to the homes and bedsides of families with whom Dr. Byock has worked, telling stories of love and reconciliation in the face of tragedy, pain, medical drama, and conflict. Through the true stories of patients, he shows us that a lot of important emotional work can be accomplished in the final months, weeks, and even days of life. It is a companion for families, showing them how to deal with doctors, how to talk to loved ones—and how to make the end of life as meaningful and enriching as the beginning.

Ira Byock is also the author of The Best Care Possible: A Physician's Quest to Transform Care Through the End of Life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101500286
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/01/1998
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	146,383
File size:	364 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ira Byock, M.D., is director of Palliative Medicine at Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center and a professor at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He is also the author of The Best Care Possible. He lives in Enfield, New Hampshire.

Table of Contents

Dying WellIntroduction

One: Teaching About Living, Teaching About Dying
Seymour Byock

Two: Questioning Assumptions and Dawning Awareness
My Journey

Three: Learning to Die Well
Anne-Marie Wilson

Four: Suffering and Beyond
Douglas Kearney

Five: Finding Dignity amid Disease and Disintegration
Wallace Burke, Julia Rosauer, Hap Visscher

Six: The Hardest Decisions and The Greatest Opportunities
Janelle Haldeman

Seven: Writing a Personal Script for Dying
Steve Morris

Eight: Accepting the Gift of Dependence and the Burden of Care
Jake Edwards

Nine: Growing Within Tragedy
Michael Merseal

Ten: Facing Unbearable Pain, Unspeakable Losses
Terry Matthews

Eleven: Letting Go, Growing On
Maureen Riley

Twelve: Getting There from Here
Social and Cultural Dimensions

Appendix: Writing Your Family's Story
Questions and Answers

Resources
Further Reading
Acknowledgments
Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"[Byock's] book succeeds brilliantly in its intention, which is to advise and comfort the dying and those close to them." — Washington Post

"[An] immensely moving yet practical guide." — San Francisco Chronicle

"Life on the edge of the great crossing is explored in all its sadness and pathos, but Byock also makes room for wisdom, hope and even the joy of final understanding." — Publishers Weekly

"If you love anyone on the planet — and if a single other person loves you — Dying Well is a book to read, think about, and discuss with those you love." — BookPage

Editorial Reviews

"[Byock's] book succeeds brilliantly in its intention, which is to advise and comfort the dying and those close to them." — Washington Post

"[An] immensely moving yet practical guide." — San Francisco Chronicle

"Life on the edge of the great crossing is explored in all its sadness and pathos, but Byock also makes room for wisdom, hope and even the joy of final understanding." — Publishers Weekly

"If you love anyone on the planet — and if a single other person loves you — Dying Well is a book to read, think about, and discuss with those you love." — BookPage

From the Publisher