Phil Dwyer's Blog: Things That Fascinate Me, page 2

Radio Interview with Catherine Sword (Part I)

A few weeks ago one of our guest authors, Catherine Sword, contacted me to ask if she could interview me for a local radio station (WhiStle Radio 102.7fm). I was joined for the interview by Julie Devaney, patient advocate, and… Continue Reading →

The Smallest Flutter of Wings

Grief can take many forms. In the case of this week’s guest author, Noelle Bickle, it took the form of a ladybug, after her mother’s cancer death, just after Thanksgiving last year. By Noelle Bickle Two days before my mother… Continue Reading →

A Burden Of Love

In this short extract from the book Conversations on Dying, Dr. Larry Librach and author Phil Dwyer are discussing one of the most onerous psychological impacts affecting cancer patients: feeling like a burden to caregivers, friends and family. In his… Continue Reading →

The Death Cruise Director

I first contacted today’s guest author, Julie Devaney, because I saw a Facebook post about a talk she was giving on patient centric care. It seemed she shared a passion for the subject with Larry Librach. I approached her to… Continue Reading →

Larry Librach on pay-for-performance in the healthcare system

Larry and I recorded many hours of conversation together about issues ranging across most topics. In this short series of “soundbites” I hope to share with you some short extracts from those conversations. Today, Larry on pay-for-performance in the healthcare… Continue Reading →

Abandoning the past

These weekly guest posts are mostly about dying in our current healthcare system, and the ways in which end-of-life care sometimes rises to the challenge magnificently and sometimes fails us. But we can’t ignore the topic of grief. This week,… Continue Reading →

Undigested — Part II

Guest author Elaine Jackson concludes her post on the death of her father-in-law.   by Elaine Jackson The surgeons we met there were kind, and pleased that Dave and I were in attendance. They removed the wound dressings to take… Continue Reading →

Undigested — Part I

Guest author Elaine Jackson, on the death of her father-in-law. This brave and vivid account reminded me of so many aspects of the death of my brother, John. Please note that Elaine has  changed the names of the family members… Continue Reading →

Take me as I am

Our guest author this week is Lisa Reynolds-Jones. Lisa writes about her friend Jenny, who died in 2007. When she first wrote to me to outline Jenny’s story she said that she wanted to die on her own terms: “Dying… Continue Reading →

Possibility Of Death

Guest author Gwen Tuinman contemplates that moment we must all dread, when the world slows on its axis and time seems to grind to a stop. by Gwen Tuinman The doctor reviewed my file while I waited on a plastic… Continue Reading →