WELCOME TO OUR BLOG
Welcome to the SevenPonds.com blog – a community-driven extension of SevenPonds.com! I hope you find comfort and community in the resources and stories featured here. I’m always happy to hear from readers and can be reached at suzette@sevenponds.com.
FEATURED
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10 Facts About Hospice Care You May Not Know" />
10 Facts About Hospice Care You May Not Know: NHPCO stresses that hospice is about living fully, not preparing for death. -
Man of Many Faces" />
Man of Many Faces: A niece says goodbye to her favorite gay uncle, in whom she confided about her own sexuality -
Last Rites: A Catholic Send-Off" />
Last Rites: A Catholic Send-Off: A look at the religion's final prayer procession for the dying
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Tag Archives: Dealing with an Illness
The Power of Touch
A daughter used physical touch to comfort her terminally ill father throughout the last months of his life.
This is the story of Julie, as told by Jeanette Geraci… When Julie flew home for a visit the year before her father passed away, it was clear that his condition — Multiple System Atrophy – was getting worse. Eight … Continue reading
An Interview with Marilyn Reiss-Carradero, Pt. 1
An RN's perspective on end-of-life in the hospital: what changes need to be made?
Marilyn Reiss-Carradero, RN, BSN, CCRN, works at Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center in San Jose, CA, and advocates for change in palliative care and end-of-life practice. Here, she reflects on the day-to-day experiences in the hospital, the lack of … Continue reading
An Interview with Rebecca Katz: Part One
Nationally-recognized food expert speaks about cancer and the power of nourishment
Rebecca Katz is a chef and nutritionist who specializes in cooking for cancer patients and survivors. She is Executive Chef at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine’s Food As Medicine and CancerGuides Professional Training Programs, and is visiting chef and nutrition … Continue reading
Posted in Professional Advice
Tagged Cancer, Cancer Treatment, Caregiving, Dealing with an Illness, Food, Health, Nourishment, Nutrition
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Interview with Dr. Duncan, Part Two
Diving deeper into her work and the grief process
Read part one of my interview with Dr. Lael Conway Duncan, where we discuss her work at Good Medicine, integrative medicine, and the emerging practice of private medical advocacy and guidance. Katie Ryan: What are some specific situations you’ve had … Continue reading
Film Review: Lifetime TV’s “Five”
Demi Moore, Jennifer Aniston et al. explore the stories of women with breast cancer
Last night marked the premiere of Lifetime’s made-for-TV film “Five,” which showcased the directing talents of five famous women: actresses Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston, singer Alicia Keys, and directors Penelope Spheeris and Patty Jenkins. Each of the five mini-films … Continue reading
How to Cope with a Terminal Illness? An Interview with Michael Engelberg
A longtime oncologist shares his thoughts on coping with a terminal condition and dying a "good death"
Doctor Michael Engelberg is an oncologist of 40 years, based at Cedars-Sinai medical center in Los Angeles, California. Aurora: Let’s say I’ve just been diagnosed with cancer, or another terminal illness. What should my first steps be? Dr. Engelberg: I … Continue reading
A Doctor of the Dying Struggles with a Personal Loss
Working in nursing homes taught me about old age — but I was unprepared for my grandfather's last days
From the book How We Age: A Doctor’s Journey into the Heart of Growing Old by Marc E. Agronin, MD. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2011. Until the year … Continue reading
Dying is Not Always a Sad Process
My grandmother's glorious last hurrah
We think of dying as something sad — a path paved only with despair. But my grandmother Ida taught me otherwise. One day, at age 78, she awoke with difficulty swallowing. My mother took her to the doctor, who fed a … Continue reading
“Help Me, Helen”
In sickness or in health, I never left his side
The story of Helen, as told by Aurora Wells… The hospice workers told me death would carry him off in his sleep. Like a moonlit wave from God’s gentle sea, quietly collecting his soul at high tide… But it wasn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Opening our Hearts
Tagged Caregiving, Dealing with an Illness, Grieving, Hospice, Losing a Partner, Palliative Care
2 Comments
These Arms that Held Me
Terminal illness, denial, and the tide of loss
The story of Aarika Wells, as told by her daughter, Aurora Wells… Even from the top of the staircase, her smile lit up the room below. Family, friends and neighbors held a collective breath as we watched her descend, bird … Continue reading
Posted in Opening our Hearts
Tagged Caregiving, Dealing with an Illness, Denial, Grieving, Healing, Palliative Care
1 Comment
Must You Go? My Life with Harold Pinter
by Antonia Fraser
From a distance, the marriage of Antonia Fraser, a notable British biographer and author, and the late Harold Pinter, the 2005 Nobel Laureate of Literature, would seem an unlikely match; Pinter having been rather irritable and abrasive, while Fraser more … Continue reading
Posted in Lending Insight
Tagged Biography, Books and Literature, Caregiving, Dealing with an Illness, Grieving
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Our Family Secret
My Mother's End-of-Life Struggle and The Miracle of Silence
The story of Shari Shryock, as told by Aurora Wells…
My mother called me her beautiful flower child, a neighbor told me shortly after her death. I belonged to a generation of tongues – voices free, … Continue reading