Dying Well - Peace and Possibilities at the End of Life by Dr. Ira Byock

Books for Empowered Patients

Book Title: 

Book Author(s):: 

My Review 

As a new hospice marketer I was asked by my supervisor to read this book. From the first page I began a journey of becoming a hospice advocate - not the death angel sales person.

The warmth and spirituality of a medical professional who openly expressed the need for finding value in each human being while professionally and aggressively providing comfort measures to terminally ill patients gave birth to the passion that I carry for hospice today.

The book addresses personal experiences of the author as he continues to grow emotionally and spiritually, learning lessons while he teaches them. The patients and their families are avatars of the families that medical professionals counsel and guide daily.

For the layperson, this book removes the fear of the hospice stigma and brings the reader to a place of wanting to know more while subtly realizing that hospice equals comfort more than death.

What was the most important information you learned? 

The things that matter most, like

"I forgive you"

"Will you forgive me?"

"Thank you"

and "I love you"

are the most important words we can speak, feel, or write

What information was missing? 

The information missing here is the sequel. I would have gladly purchased any further writings by Dr. Byock based on his experiences and insights into the lives of those with a life limiting illness.

What questions would you like to ask the author? 

If I could ask any question of Dr. Byock it would be, "can you teach me to help others understand hospice and palliative care better?"

Who will benefit most from reading this book? 

Doctors, nurses, hospice staff, family members, patients

Would you recommend this to a friend? 

Trisha Torrey, Patient Empowerment Guide, says:

Learn more about end of life issues.