Through the Therapeutic Window
September 4, 2012 | 
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Through the therapeutic window comes in a shard of light. And in that light is hope, is bliss, is warmth. And a suggestion of an opening into a place that is kept hidden oftentimes from oneself and then can only manifest through others. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Art of healing, General, Holistic healing, Patient Centered Care, Reflective practice | 
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Summer Storms, Summer Myths
Almost 20 years ago, a family member died in August. The funeral ritual was interrupted by thunder, lightening, and pouring rain. We thought of the storm as a declaration of arrival. Perhaps even a celebration. The next year there was a thunder storm on the same day. Family and friends phoned each other to comment on the coincidence and to reminisce. The next year it happened yet again. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Art of healing, Dying, Holistic healing, Psycho-social, Reflective practice, Religion, Ritual, Self care | Comments Closed
“A Palette of Care”: Haslinger Pediatric Palliative Care Center (Guest Post by Dr. Sarah Friebert)
At the Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Center, each child and family can pick and choose the colors they need or want to create the most beautiful painting possible of life and hope. This image was inspired by two simultaneous events: a letter received from one of our bereaved mothers, thanking us for the care we provided for her son, and a watercolor painting done by a young artist in our program, who was dying of a rare spinal cord tumor but who brought forth onto a canvas the image of a palette of colors as she depicted what palliative care had meant to her and her family during her journey. Read the rest of this entry »
How it all began: Founding the first US free-standing pediatric palliative care center (Guest post by Dr. Barbara Beach)
It began with Jim. He was a big-hearted, courageous young man dying of cancer, and I was a young pediatric oncologist at the beginning of my career, not 10 years his senior. Jim simply wanted to die at home, in the company of his mother, away from the hospital where he had spent so many weeks and months battling his disease. Yet as hard as I tried, I wasn’t able to make his final wish possible Read the rest of this entry »
Memorial Day: Flowers from yesteryears
A woman from the American Legion was sitting in front of the post office selling tissue paper flowers.
I placed a donation in the box and picked a flower. Read the rest of this entry »
JPM Honors All Mothers Worldwide: Happy Mother’s Day
The unconditional love and compassion that is the cardinal aspect of a Mother's expression of her caring is also a key premise of palliative care. We take the opportunity today to thank all mothers worldwide for teaching us the caring and compassion we show all our patients and families. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Art of healing, Celebration, General, Geriatrics, Grief, Holistic healing, Humanistic medicine, Humanities, National Holidays, Opinions, Patient Centered Care | Comments Closed
“You Ain’t Living Forever” : Guest Post by Virginia Seno, PhD, RN
"Once you realize that you’re getting close to the end… (If you’re lucky enough to know that you’re going to die) “… then you begin to realize how fragile life is and you only do the things that are important".
What was some of the knowing I got? You’d be amazed at how simple it was. For example, having him was much more important than getting irritated that his boots were cluttering up the entryway. Would I ever kick his boots out of the way with irritation again? No, not ever. Rather, I’d neatly set them aside with tears for missing the feet that used to wear them. Read the rest of this entry »
Towards a Broader Definition of Healing
For many patients, healing refers ultimately to cure. Palliative care supports patients on this journey, but we also recognize that as a person approaches the end of life, healing can shift from cure to represent not only relief from pain or nausea, but an opportunity to reconcile families, bring resolution to old hurts or unmet expectations. Read the rest of this entry »
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