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But whatever we can offer, our interventions, and the risks and sacrifices they entail, are justified only if they serve the larger aims if a person‘s life. When we forget that, the suffering we inflict can be barbaric. When we remember it the good we do can be breathtaking.

Awakening call that everyone will finally face the final days of themselves or their loved ones. Great insights how to balance the quality of the final days and the length of life remaining.

@CSeydel I started this on audio today and can already tell that it will affect me deeply. As a former hospice nurse, I‘m very aware of unnecessary and often more painful medical interventions that hurt rather than help. There is such a thing as a “good” death, one that allows quality of life in those last days/months rather than quantity. #ALSpine25 @monalyisha

I still remember the first time I was around a grieving acquaintance and found myself with lack of words. Then as a healthcare worker, I was witness to the awful quality of life patients face in hospice or certain places for assisted living. This book was so needed in the field, not only for providers to approach the difficult situation but also to offer to patients the autonomy to make the best decision for themselves at the end of their lives.

Not a “comfort” read, but SO important. Should be required reading for anyone who won‘t remain young nor live forever (yes, every one of us).

This book reminded me a lot of ‘The Art of Dying Well‘ by Katy Butler. The author heavily emphasizes aging well and dying well. This is a book that forces you to think about your mortality and the mortality of those around you. It asks you to start planning ahead, start thinking about what you do and don‘t want. None of us wants to think about it, but we must. Death Cafes are a great place to start! Find one near you or start your own:⬇️

My planned reads for April:

Online book club: Being Mortal
IRL book club: The Cloisters
Kindle TBR: Lullaby
Physical TBR: The Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller
New: The Excitements

A profoundly difficult read because it holds up a mirror to what we all will inevitably face - old age, disease, death. It is an extremely powerful work filled with information and language that we need to learn in order to contemplate the decisions that come with our mortality and those of our loved ones. It can be terribly depressing in many parts and the futility of our lives overwhelmed me at times, but it is necessary reading for everyone.

“Our most cruel failure in how we treat the sick and the aged is the failure to recognize that they have priorities beyond merely being safe and living longer.”

Nonfiction bracket. My only nonfiction of the month, and my final read of 2023. Incredible book. Anyone with aging parents or who plans to get old themselves should read this. Equal parts medicine, psychology, history, and philosophy. It was so hard to choose an overall winner here.

“You live longer only when you stop trying to live longer.”

This exploration of death, illness, and the meaning of dying with dignity and purpose was so thought provoking. It made me think a lot about end of life questions and answers which resonated with me as my parents are aging and it feels like we are entering a new chapter. so highly recommend this accessible and well written book. Great on #audio. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Continuing 30 book recommendations in 30 days.

Day 2: This is a book that I have recommended widely and without reservation. It isn't just about dying; it has expanded my understanding of how I want to live and also how I want to communicate with those around me about my wishes. Yes, it is mostly focused on quality of life for those who know they are nearing the end of their lives, but it is so much more than that. Just read it! #30recsin30days

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, and some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookaDay2023

There‘s so much to think about in this book! The early chapters are the most difficult, but persevere- it‘s ultimately a hopeful book. I love that Gawande doesn‘t offer easy fixes, or proclaim that we need to go back to the “good old days.” And he is global in his views, not elevating one culture over another. My elderly mother has read this, as has my sister. Now we just have to start having the difficult conversations. Not my family‘s forte!

Words cannot sum up the complete awe and appreciation I have for this book. I have read this book over the last year not because it wasn‘t a good read but because I wanted to take in all that it has to offer. The importance of asking our loved ones how they want the end of their life handled and the reality that we need to think the same of ourselves! An absolute pick!

new read

I‘m chipping away at this fantastic read but I just had to share this quote. I am often obsessive about end of life decisions and prepping and telling others to think about it too! This just resonated so much with me that we as a society just don‘t understand that there‘s so much more to dying than just prolonging it to the point of suffering!

That moment at the end of your audiobook when you hear “we hope you‘ve enjoyed being mortal” 👀 #AwesomeApril This was a very well rounded perspective on how we treat the aging and dying and all the gray areas that come into play. This would be a good one to come back to/study for sure.

My second reading of this book took me down a different path than the first. Read my full review here: https://debbybrauer.org/#being-mortal-medicine-and-what-matte...

I think decrepitude is my new favorite word 👵🏻

Despite its subject matter, I found this book ultimately hopeful. Definitely a lot to think about in here.

This was a hard book to get through because of the subject matter - I see aging in myself and those I love around me. But it is a very important book to read regarding the subject matter.
A definite pick for me.

This is a thoughtful book about a difficult subject. It made me think about my end of my life and about my dad's. I think I might have to talk to him about what he wants and what he doesn't want and that's difficult. I didn't agree with the part about assisted suicide in my country and how it's a failure that apparently 1 in 35 people have sought assistance in 2012. I found out 4% of deaths in 2020 were assisted, mostly by a GP.
Cont'd in comments

Help! I'm going to be going on a 3 week holiday and need to choose my books to take along. I have some ebooks already but prefer physical copies. Limited on weight though so need to narrow down my choices...which ones do I bring along??

No better place to read this book! #wahclellafalls #hikesandbooks

Back when Book Riot had a subscription box, this was one of the selections I received. I am so glad because I probably wouldn‘t have read this otherwise. It‘s a great, thoughtful look at mortality and how modern medicine may not always have the human individual‘s best interests at heart. It immediately came to mind for today‘s #ConflictedWords prompt, #PersonVsDeath

Engrossing, accessible, moving, pertinent to every human. A great read.

This book is not a feel good kind of book. It‘s informative, helpful, and a book a everyone with elderly parents needs to to read.
#nonfiction
#mttbr

Such a good book! Being that I‘m in my 30s, end of life care honestly doesn‘t pop into my mind all that often, but I love the way this was written. I was hesitant to read a book written by a surgeon, but he is a gifted author. Loved it!
⭐️:4/5

#12 of 2021. This book was recommended to me as a new grad RN working in an oncology/end of life unit at my local hospital. I‘ve always told myself, “you need to read that.” Six years later, I finally did. Such an amazing look at how we as humans face our own mortality and that of our loved ones. But even more than that, it illustrates how we as healthcare providers can do so much more for our dying patients!!

Wow! What an amazing read. Made me really think about the care I give as a nurse. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone, but especially those in health care. Sometime I‘m just looking at the right now picture and I forget to figure out what is most important to my patients. This book has helped me to look at each person differently and to try harder to be a sounding board and advocate for them. #whatmattersmost #autonomymatters

I‘m excited about this one! I haven‘t read a nonfiction book in so long. It‘s been hard to get into reading again since I graduated nursing school and now that I finally crave it again with fiction, I think it‘s time for nonfiction. A friend of mine lent this to me, I‘m a chapter in and already loving it!!!
#returntoreading #nurselife #weareallmortal

I was hesitant to read a book about mortality and end of life during a pandemic, and in a season of life when my anxiety is very high; however, I found this book to be very engaging and thought-provoking in a way that did not trigger me. I am a medical speech-language pathologist and found this important from a professional standpoint, but this is truly a book for everyone. I highly recommend it. The audio narration was very well done.

3 - 7 Nov 2020 (audiobook)
Confronting and thought-provoking, particularly in light of my mother‘s death at 56. If we had our time again, I would try to do things differently. I certainly would recommend this to people who are facing the death of a parent or loved one.

Everyone should read this book at some point. There are so many wonderful pearls on how to navigate aging and how to live a fulfilled life all the way through to the end. There is something for everyone, no matter your age.

1. Making seniors‘ lives more fulfilling
2. A hug from my husband, obviously
3. 1920‘s flapper era

@Eggs
#wondrouswednesday

Looking forward to another interesting book from Gawande. I loved his other books.

1. By horoscope I‘m a fire sign and I also got fire from the quiz.

2. Being Mortal (tagged) really changed my views on aging and end of life

3. I‘m in the middle of several but I‘m starting Deacon King Kong by James McBride and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

@Eggs #WonderousWednesday

Thanks for tagging me @TheSpineView If anyone hasn‘t been tagged and wants to play, I tag you!

Me and my reading buddy, enjoying the sound of the birds this morning 😊

#empathy #patientpartnership #eyeopener #coupdecoeur💚

When it comes to books #aboutadoctor or about medicine, I highly recommend Atul Gawande. His books are so well written and informative.

#MagnificentMarch @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Excellent look at the problems with end of life care when efforts to sustain life take precedence over quality of life. Gawande considers innovative alternatives to nursing homes, hospice care, and the problems with long-shot treatment options that leave patients miserable. He also uses examples from his own life that parallel his research. Everyone should read this, as we will likely face the decisions described for ourselves or our loved ones.

This was quite an odd choice to be listening to as COVID-19 ramped up. It really makes the reader consider what end of life should look like. So many things that we leave up to medical professionals, but do they have the same goals in mind as their patients?

This wasn‘t necessarily a book I couldn‘t put down, but it is a book that everyone should read.