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Living With Serious Illness |
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 Things
To Do When Time May Be Short
 Very
important
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Spend time with people who are important to you. |
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Create a legacy for those who care about you; letters, a tape
recording, or a video can be a special gift for your children
and grandchildren. |
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Call or visit an old friend and tell your story to those who
will live on. |
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Accept some compliments and gratitude (don't make people wait
until the funeral!). |
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Forgive yourself, and seek to make things right within your
own faith. |
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Say "I love you," "I'm sorry," "Forgive me," and "I forgive
you." |
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Right old wrongs. |
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Take a "last trip" or two (and do it again if time allows). |
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Make time for spiritual issues and struggles. |
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Say goodbye (or "until we meet again"). |
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Eventually, be at peace with the end to come, and the uncertainty
of when you will die. |
Important
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Make plans so that care and treatment will be as close as
possible to what you want. |
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Specifically decide about resuscitation, hospitalization,
and, if it might be important, artificial feeding. |
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Choose someone to make decisions for you if you are too sick
to make them for yourself. |
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Write a will and help pass along obligations for your job
and finances. |
These lists are based in part on the work of Ira Byock, M.D. |
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Adapted from The
Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness,
by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold, copyright by Joanne Lynn, used by
permission of Oxford University Press.
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