Everyday Better with Leah Smart A Guide for Living Fully and Dying Well (From a Hospice Nurse)
Jul 15, 2025
In this enlightening conversation, hospice nurse Julie McFadden, known as Hospice Nurse Julie, shares her journey from ICU to hospice care, emphasizing the importance of accepting mortality for a more fulfilled life. She discusses how contemplating death daily can enhance our appreciation for life and foster deeper connections. Julie reflects on personal stories, the beauty of small moments, and the need for open dialogues about death. Her insights encourage listeners to embrace life with intention and find peace amidst the uncertainty of mortality.
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Courage to Advocate in ICU
- Julie McFadden shared a story about a long-ICU patient with incurable cancer facing complications.
- Speaking up about end-of-life plans led to peaceful death, teaching her death is not the worst outcome.
Biology of Natural Death
- The body naturally prepares for death by inducing sleep and reducing appetite and thirst.
- Dehydration can release endorphins, making the dying process more peaceful.
Understanding Terminal Lucidity
- Terminal lucidity or "the surge" is a real, though not fully understood, phenomenon before death.
- It offers family and patients a lucid moment or days shortly before passing.