I first met him when I began visiting his wife as her hospice nurse. From the very beginning, it was clear: this was a man who loved...

Forgiveness is not about excusing, forgetting, or pretending that something never happened. It’s about choosing to set yourself free. The...

Lately I have realized how often I duck away from compliments or downplay applause, as though I don’t deserve them. It is almost...

When you sit with someone as they take their last breath, you are doing something extraordinary, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the...

To the person preparing to take their last breath… I want you to know that you are not invisible here. Even as your body grows tired,...

One of the hardest lessons in palliative care and hospice is learning that our role is not always to  do , but often to  be . Families...

Three people in my life died before I had the chance to say goodbye. No matter how hard I try, I can’t shake this feeling… sometimes it...

Life is such a remarkable gift. It doesn’t come wrapped in perfection, but in layers; moments of joy, sorrow, challenges, and unexpected...

Compassion is at the heart of everything we do, whether in healthcare, palliative care, or hospice. We bring our whole selves, our...

When I became a nurse, I took an oath to protect, care for, and honor every person who came under my care. That oath was not conditional,...

Over the years, I have been asked by families to “please don’t tell them they are dying.” I have sat at bedsides where family members...

If I had another chance to talk to you even just a few more minutes I wouldn’t waste a single breath I would ask you how you are what...

No matter how much time you have had to prepare, no matter how long you have known this moment might be coming, when that last breath is...

Life is a gift, a one-time-only, no-do-overs, miraculous blessing. And yet, it is so easy to forget that. We get caught in the grind, the...

Presence doesn’t make a grand entrance. It doesn’t need the spotlight. It doesn’t always come with answers or certainty. But presence...

In 1987, my mom was told she had a year to live. She had lung cancer that had spread to her brain. I was twenty-three years old, living...

This poem is born from reflection on all the love I’ve seen and the difficult goodbyes we sometimes must face. Our memories often feel...

I’ve never seen hope as a problem. In fact, I welcome it, because hope is often the only thing that helps someone get through the...

One of the most important things we can do for someone who is declining, especially nearing the end of life, is to align our care with...

Someone asked me if I still feel anything when someone dies, or if I have become numb to death after all the years I’ve spent in...