Best Life Best Death

Yvonne Caputo felt compelled to write about her experiences with her father and family. She wrote "Flying with Dad: A Daughter. A Father. And the Hidden Gifts in His Stories from World War II" plus her second book, "Dying With Dad: Tough Talks for Easier Endings." In her work in retirement homes and as a psychotherapist, Yvonne knew that it mattered to have conversations about the end of life, and because she and her dad were able to have those, including working through "The Five Wishes," they gained trust, clarity and connection. fivewishes.org For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠

Working with a severe stutter in the field of communication, Sharon Emery faced huge challenges daily. Finding love, raising children, creating satisfying work – all of these laid the ground for losses and grief yet to come. Sharon’s approach to “limits” and “being happy anyway” can show us all what human resilience is about. As she says, “Limits don’t define our lives so much as empower us to shape them. We determine the trajectory of the story around the limits we face.” Sharon's book is a 2023 Michigan Notable Book, and as one of the judges for that award wrote: “How can you look at some of the challenges she’s faced and not think that’s a remarkable story?”

Every state has a process to donate your whole body to science when you die. This week I talk to Kate Serr, organizer of this program for the state of Colorado and parts of Wyoming. Why do people decide to donate their body to science? What does that mean? How do you apply for this and what kind of deaths are accepted? An important take-away from this conversation: whatever your choice for what to do with your body after you die, talk abut it with your family in advance! For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠

This episode I talk with two doulas, Gabby Jimenez and Claudia Peñate. Both of them: work with individuals and families; offer guidance, support and education; are available before, during and after the experience; and bring expertise to common yet not-widely-known human events! They are similar but different, as one woman works with birth and the other works with death! How are these "bookends of our lives" similar and different? What kinds of support do these guides offer? Find Gabby at: https://www.thehospiceheart.net/ Find Claudia at: https://www.claudiapenate.com/ For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠

This week’s BLBD conversation covers embalming and reconstruction with Funeral Director and specialist Monica Torres. What is it? Who wants it? Why is it important for families? What makes it an art and a science? With cremation on the rise, is embalming still a thing? And how does Monica approach this very personal work? This conversation may even give you a new understanding and appreciation for the role that seeing a loved one's body plays in processing grief. Find Monica at: https://www.nxtgenmortuarysupport.com/ For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠

Dr Stefanie Green is a Canadian physician with a whole lot of experience and information to share about MAID. What is Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada? What feelings does Dr Green hear most commonly from patients? What is the hardest part of the work she has been doing since 2016? What is patient-centered care and why does it matter? What are the three things this physician would like you to take away from this conversation? This talk with Dr Green is longer than the usual BLBD episode -- I was going to create two parts, but decided it was just too interesting as one long piece. Stretch it out if you need to, but I bet you won’t be able to hit pause! Visit her website at: https://www.stefaniegreen.com/ For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠ Instagram: ⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠

Hospice Nurse Julie delves into the details of dying, so that we can all learn more ahead of time and be better prepared when someone we love is at the end of their life. “I know, as a hospice nurse who’s used to seeing a body dying, that this is very normal: their face is going to look different; their eyes are often open, not blinking; they are not making eye contact; mouths are usually open, as all our muscles are relaxing; breathing changes; they are usually not eating or drinking; and they are probably unconscious for the most part." All of this is normal – we just don’t know it, so we can find it unsettling at best and terrifying at worst. Julie and I have a mutual goal: to normalize talking about death. Visit Julie's Website at: hospicenursejulie.com For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at www.bestlifebestdeath.com Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath Instagram: www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath

So many people are struggling with grief, burnout, caregiving, and more. The idea behind Help Texts is to get expert support directly into people's hands - literally, in their hands, by appearing on their phone via text a few times a week. How does Help Texts work? What does it cost? Why would I want this for myself or a friend or family member? And - does it really help?? As founder Emma Payne says, “It’s incredible that just a few messages a week that speak to you, are, for many people, enough.” I kinda love the idea of Barbara Karnes and other true wisdom-carriers appearing in my text stream! Find out more at: https://helptexts.com/ Find out more at: bkbooks.com For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at www.bestlifebestdeath.com Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath Instagram: www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath

"Jack Has a Plan" is a 73-minute personal documentary which follows the story of a man diagnosed with a brain tumor. Director Bradley Berman says, “This is first and foremost a story. It is not an advocacy film for any particular outcome. It is just a story of Jack Tuller and what happened to him.” Yet this story is filled with so much to consider! Bradley and I discuss: How did this film come about? What was unique about Jack and his friends and family that made this film work? What does Jack’s experience have to share about living and dying? In this story of one man’s life, what are the enduring themes? What do audiences take away from seeing this movie? If you have a chance to see this film -- grab it! I can't stop thinking about it and will be sharing it online on 4/23/23. Find out more at bestlifebestdeath.com/other-offerings/ Subscribe to the podcast for bonus content for only $7.99 a month! https://anchor.fm/diane-hullet/subscribe For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at www.bestlifebestdeath.com Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath Instagram: www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath

Jade and I were on such a roll when we recorded our podcast that, well, we just kept going! Part 1 is about death literacy, books we love, literature, how to find books that get you into these themes, and why reading about the end of life matters. (Hint: It influences our thinking in subtle but profound ways.) In Part 2, we talk about the role of doulas, the experience of hospice, what caregivers need, who typically calls in a death doula for a family, and some ethical ruminations -- because Jade is, at heart, a philosopher and doula! For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at www.bestlifebestdeath.com Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath Instagram: www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath