Dying to Know
Straight Talk about Death and Dying
What is in the Book?
This table of contents provides an outline of how the book will gently guide you through this journey:
Preface
Section One
Your World Has Changed
-- You’ve Been Given the Bad News - Now What?
-- Getting the Help You Need
-- Putting Aside the Old Ways
-- Learning to Listen to Your Body
-- How Will I Die?
-- Losses and Gains
Physical Changes
-- Changes in Activity - The Conflict Begins
-- Establishing Priorities
-- You Just Gonna Sleep?
-- Energy Surges
-- I Can Hear You!
-- Just One More Bite
-- Why Eating Isn’t What It Used to Be
-- Dying of Thirst?
-- The Benefit of Natural Dehydration
-- Of Bowels and Bladders
-- Breathing Easier
-- Fear Of Suffocating
-- What’s That Noise?
-- Cold Feet and Other Symptoms
-- Confusion Can Be Confusing
-- About Those Eyes
-- Pain is Not Inevitable
-- Why Pain Is Your Enemy
-- Dispelling Myths About Pain Medications
-- When Addiction is the Fear
-- What If I Have a History of Addiction?
Section Two
Control & Choices
-- To Treat or Not to Treat
-- The Promises and Pitfalls of Experimental Therapies
-- About Those Questions of Control
-- The Big Challenge
-- Receiving as a Gift
-- But I Still Want Control…
-- Letting Go
-- No Need to Lose Your Dignity
-- The Line in the Sand
-- If Thoughts Turn to Suicide
Section Three
Communications - Handle With Care
-- I’m Still Me
-- Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda
-- Final Wishes & Legacies
-- The Need for Intimacy
-- A Tale of Two Taboos
-- You’re Gonna Miss Me, Right? - Opening the Doors
-- To Communicating What’s Important
-- Children Matter
-- Don’t Forget the Four-Footeds
-- Details, Details
-- What If I Wake Up Dead?
Section Four
The Mystery
-- The Timing of Dying
-- Dreams, Visions and Messages
My Wish for You
Parting Words
Aftermath for the Survivors
-- Self Care First
-- Grief - It Just Hurts
-- Danger Signs
-- I Thought I’d Feel Better By Now
-- Coping Well - What Does That Even Mean?
-- Now What?
...the book ...
... from a reader ...
"It's as if [the author] were walking beside me for the past 4 months of my father's illness - it made care decisions so much easier!"
a researcher says:
"Highlights of the joys and traumas of the dying process are evident on every page of this practical book.
The personal voice, resonating with compassion, helps clarify the mystery making. This is a classic in the field. I recommend it for all of us."
~ Elaine Rousseau, Ph.D.
gerontological researcher
about the author:
Tani Bahti, has been a registered nurse since 1976 and is Certified in Thanatology and in Hospice and Palliative Care nursing. She has spent most of her career in hospice care and promoting end of life education. Recognizing how fear can negatively impact decision-making and the dying experience, she is passionate about replacing fear with knowledge and is a frequent speaker on end of life issues for the lay and professional community. Writer and producer of the award-winning video, Living Through Dying – The Struggle for Grace, Tani has also produced the Straight Talk Series on End of Life Issues, which includes instructional DVD’s about the dying process. You can learn more about Tani at pathwayseol.com