Phil Dwyer's Blog: Things That Fascinate Me, page 3

Caramilk

Guest author Lynda Allison’s poignant memories of reconnecting with her estranged father in the twilight of his life By Lynda Allison People say that life’s a journey, along which we enjoy fleeting moments where our lives juxtapose, before we move… Continue Reading →

Last Chance To Talk — Part III

The final installment of guest author Heidi Croot’s reminiscence of caring for her dying father. by Heidi Croot Before Mother leaves the hospital, Daddy decides to vote for the stomach feeding tube. I feel as if his decision goes against… Continue Reading →

Last Chance To Talk — Part II

  In today’s post, Heidi’s father faces a difficult decision, and his wife and daughter/caregiver struggle with what to do for the best. The third and final installment of this piece will be published tomorrow.   by Heidi Croot It… Continue Reading →

Last Chance To Talk — Part I

This week’s guest author, Heidi Croot, tackles complex and difficult themes. What do we do when the struggle gets too much for the dying? Do we fight, or let them go? She also explores her relationship with her father, and… Continue Reading →

Last Chance To Talk – Part I

This week’s guest author, Heidi Croot, tackles complex and difficult themes. What do we do when the struggle gets too much for the dying? Do we fight, or let them go? She also explores her relationship with her father, and… Continue Reading →

A Different Perspective On Death

This week’s guest author (full disclosure) is my wife, Natalie Parry. Natalie works in North America’s largest palliative care centre. She’s passionate about palliative care, and here she explains where that passion was born and how it was nurtured. by… Continue Reading →

Debbie’s Dying

This week guest author Charlene Jones takes us to the bedside of her dying friend. It’s a touching and intimate portrait of Debbie’s dying.   by Charlene Jones Your beautiful daughter’s anguished blue eyes open wide as she says, “Thank… Continue Reading →

Decisions

When this week’s guest author Naomi Mesbur first approached me with her story, I wasn’t sure it fit the remit of this blog. Then she told me a little more, and I realized that the agonizing decision she was faced… Continue Reading →

Death, swift and implacable

It was very early on a Saturday morning: somewhere between 6:00 and 6:30. A mug of green tea sat steaming on the coffee table. I had the laptop open, resting (as its name suggests it should) on my lap. I… Continue Reading →

Funerals

Today’s guest author recalls a time when families laid out their loved ones themselves, in their own parlours, performing those last acts of love and duty: washing and dressing the corpse, laying it out. She reminds us of something Larry… Continue Reading →