Death and family

This week's blog is about death and I have my fair share of it these past weeks; my stepdaughter losing her infant daughter and I losing my uncle, a very close relative. Death unfortunately is apart of life and at some point in time one has to deal with it. Were they "good" deaths? I am not sure, maybe they were. One developed an infection after being born prematurely, and the other was sick but in treatment and optimistic. What constitutes a "good death"? Is it one without suffering, one that happpens before realizing any disabilities are present, or one that happens when there has been enough suffering and pain? Whether there is a good death or not, the one thing I want is to be remember for having a good life.

My uncle's death might have been considered good because he did not get any sicker or suffer lots of pain but the one thing that stands out for me this past week was the good life that he had. My uncle had found his soulmate, had three sons and was devoted to his friends and community. My uncle never met a stranger and if you ever met him you would not forget him. He had the most unbelievable way of being positive and encouraging that you wanted to be the best that he knew you could be. He touch so many lives and it was reflected by the standing room only at the two services held in his honor.

As I pause and cry alittle, I realize that I might be off topic but death to me right now is from the family's perspective and how I can use this experience to be of help to families of my patients.