Download or read book Crossing the Caring Bridge a Journey of Hope and Despair written by Shelly Greer and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-02-12 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shelly Flammia Greer thought the summer of 2010 would be the glorious beginning to the rest of her life with Phil, her husband of nearly forty years. But after settling into early retirement, she began noticing changes in his behavior. Soon other family members and friends took notice as well. When Shelly realized she was not alone in her observations, she knew Phil needed to see a doctor-a visit that revealed he was terminally ill with a glioblastoma multiforme. What Shelly soon learned was that the diagnosis would bring more questions than answers. All tumors are different. And just as every person is unique, so is each person's journey through illness. From the moment the malignant tumor entered Phil's brain, Shelly began losing the husband she knew and loved-but that didn't stop her from fighting alongside him with every breath he had left. "Crossing the Caring Bridge" is Shelly's candid account of loving and living with someone who is battling for his life. In her raw yet inspiring memoir, she details the treatment plan and her husband's response to it, as well as her own experience as his caregiver, in the hope that sharing their story will offer comfort to others in similar circumstances.

Download or read book Crossing the Caring Bridge written by Jan Briddell Stevens and published by Outskirts Press. This book was released on 2018-06-15 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Making Friends with Death - A True Story Are you terrified of DEATH? Are you or a loved one facing terminal illness? Or perhaps you've already lost someone--and whether it was a long time in coming or a complete shock, it hurts. We will all meet Death at our appointed time, and when that happens, we may see him as a fearful monster. But if we get to know him first, we'll know how to handle his arrival. We may even discover that Death is not the fiend we imagined at all. Crossing the Caring Bridge offers a whole new perspective on Mr. Reaper that may prove to be a life-changing--or rather a DEATH-changing--experience! "I've seen death come. I've seen people who've lost everything to hurricanes. While I've also seen close friends confront cancer and death, I've never been there. I can only imagine the cancer fight as a whitewater rafting trip on the fiercest rapids--but without a raft (never mind the paddles!). If I'm ever in that river, I'll want a guide. Not just any guide. This guide. Jan Briddell Stevens has been there, seen it, felt it, wept over it, and more. Her engaging storytelling style entertains, informs, and challenges. But most importantly, because she is so authentic, it comforts. Nobody needs to navigate their rivers alone." --John Chickering, Storm Recovery Team Leader, UMCOR Early Response Team (Katrina, Irene, Sandy, Irma, Maria)

Download or read book Widower to Widower written by Fred Colby and published by Front Range Press. This book was released on 2021-07-15 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you or a close friend are now or about to become a widower, this book can help you. The physical, emotional, and psychological pain will be greater than you can imagine. A widower may think that he is going crazy, his judgement is often distorted, and his social filters can be almost nonexistent. Nights often become sleepless delusional times from which there is no escape. Widower to Widower is written to provide widowers with desperately needed help during their grieving process. It is also a resource to therapists who assist widowers, to friends and family who want to better understand what he is going through, and to women who have befriended a widower. Colby's own experience made him desperate to find answers so he could avoid making bad life choices. He quickly found that resources for widowers were minimal and often of questionable value. This led him to write Widower to Widower. He drew upon thirty years of writing experience writing during his non-profit career. REVIEWS: "Fred Colby's book, Widower to Widower, shares his experiences as he navigates the grief process following the death of his wife. With a straight-forward voice and clear writing style, Fred provides insight from his personal journey to provide education, understanding and comfort to other men who are grieving. This book is an essential tool for grief counselors as well as their male clients." Mia Towbin, MS, LMFT - Grief Counselor. "For any man who has suffered, either recently or not so recently, the death of his beloved wife, Fred Colby's book is essential reading. As a fellow widower, I give this book my highest recommendation." Robert Devereaux, Widower, Writer, Actor Hundreds of widowers have offered their praise of Widower to Widower on Fred Colby's Testimonies/Reviews page at fredcolby.com.

Download or read book Hope Conquers All written by Sona Mehring and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2013-08-06 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1997, Sona Mehring created the first CaringBridge website when a close friend endured a life-threatening pregnancy. CaringBridge is now used by over 500,000 people a day, with 44 million unique visitors over the past year. Through CaringBridge, Mehring has witnessed thousands of stories of hope and connection among people struggling with stroke, cancer, and other life-changing conditions. HOPE CONQUERS ALL shares some of its most touching stories. HOPE CONQUERS ALL will contain stories from people of all ages and backgrounds. The adversities they face vary greatly, from children with cancer, to adults requiring life-saving transplants, to victims of horrific accidents, but their stories are unified-hope does conquer all. And CaringBridge is a place where hope grows. It's a site that helps people reach out and stay in touch through moments of great need. It inspires them and instills hope; it helps foster and encourage much-needed emotional connection. These intimate personal stories, which reveal the underlying spiritual presence that connects us all, will encourage people to create channels of love and support in their own lives.

Download or read book Clouds written by Laura Sobiech and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2020-10-13 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Originally published as Fly a Little Higher and now updated and revised to coincide with the film release of Clouds, Laura Sobiech tells the amazing, true story behind the song and the movie. “Okay, Lord, you can have him. But if he must die, I want it to be for something big. I want someone’s life to be changed forever.” This is what Laura Sobiech prayed when she found out her seventeen-year-old son had only one year to live. With this desperate prayer, she released her son to God’s will. At that point, Zach Sobiech was just another teenager battling cancer. When his mother told him to think about writing goodbye letters to family and friends, he decided instead to write songs. One of them, “Clouds,” captured hearts and changed lives, making him an international sensation. This story is a testament to what can happen when you live as if each day might be your last. It’s a story about the human spirit. It shows how God used a dying boy from a small town in Minnesota to touch the hearts of millions—including top executives in the entertainment industry, major music artists, news anchors, talk show hosts, actors, priests and pastors, and schoolchildren across the globe. And above all, it’s an example of the amazing things that happen when someone shares the most precious thing he has—himself. “I’m not a musician; I’m just a filmmaker, and my prayer is that you get an opportunity—both through the reading of this beautiful book and the watching of our film based on it—to experience what I will fail to put into words: the magic and inspiration of Zachary David Sobiech.” —Justin Baldoni, filmmaker and director of Clouds

Download or read book Letters from a Whoremonger s Wife written by Danita Clark Able and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2012-12-01 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Letters From A Whoremonger's Wife is a memoir, the story of a family. It is the story of an addiction to adultery; an addiction equal in destruction to drugs and alcohol. It is the story of a man who used his frustrations with life against his family, in the form of physical and emotional abuse; yet who, with deception and manipulation, successfully maintained an image of an ideal family man. It is the story of a wife and mother clinging to hope; a woman determined to piece together a torn and tattered family. It is a story of deceit, heartbreak, abuse, devotion, faith, grit and foolish stubbornness. It is a story of survival.

Download or read book Crossing the Quality Chasm written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-07-19 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Second in a series of publications from the Institute of Medicine's Quality of Health Care in America project Today's health care providers have more research findings and more technology available to them than ever before. Yet recent reports have raised serious doubts about the quality of health care in America. Crossing the Quality Chasm makes an urgent call for fundamental change to close the quality gap. This book recommends a sweeping redesign of the American health care system and provides overarching principles for specific direction for policymakers, health care leaders, clinicians, regulators, purchasers, and others. In this comprehensive volume the committee offers: A set of performance expectations for the 21st century health care system. A set of 10 new rules to guide patient-clinician relationships. A suggested organizing framework to better align the incentives inherent in payment and accountability with improvements in quality. Key steps to promote evidence-based practice and strengthen clinical information systems. Analyzing health care organizations as complex systems, Crossing the Quality Chasm also documents the causes of the quality gap, identifies current practices that impede quality care, and explores how systems approaches can be used to implement change.

Download or read book Lasting Love written by Caroline Wright and published by Rodale Kids. This book was released on 2019-08-20 with total page 21 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This gorgeous picture-book meditation on loss and family love is a useful tool for children navigating a first experience with death. When a family member or another loved one becomes ill, one of the scariest aspects of their sickness is the way they may change, both physically and in spirit. The feeling of loss can come so early as the person becomes more difficult to recognize. It's a hard thing for anyone to understand, and especially so for a child. This book offers a helpful visualization of a sick person's essence as a friendly creature who remains strong and warm, even as the illness progresses. The creature is always around and never tries to cheer the child up, but only serves to keep them company. Caroline Wright and Willow Heath clearly understand that, like the creature, a book cannot "fix" a painful situation or even make it a little better. Instead they simply reflect the pain of loss back to the reader and help them understand that they are not alone.

Download or read book The Bridge Home written by Padma Venkatraman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Readers will be captivated by this beautifully written novel about young people who must use their instincts and grit to survive. Padma infuses her story with hope and bravery that will inspire readers."--Aisha Saeed, author of the New York Times Bestseller Amal Unbound Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman's stirring middle-grade debut. Life is harsh on the teeming streets of Chennai, India, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter--and friendship--on an abandoned bridge that's also the hideout of Muthi and Arul, two homeless boys, and the four of them soon form a family of sorts. And while making their living scavenging the city's trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to take pride in, too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

Download or read book We Know How This Ends written by Bruce H. Kramer and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 215 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nautilus Book Awards — Silver Award Winner 2010 had been a very good year for Bruce H. Kramer. But what began as a floppy foot and leg weakness led to a shattering diagnosis: he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS is a cruel, unrelenting neurodegenerative disease in which the body’s muscles slowly weaken, including those used to move, swallow, talk, and ultimately breathe. There is no cure: ALS is a death sentence. When death is a constant companion, sitting too closely beside you at the dinner table, coloring your thoughts and feelings and words, your outlook on life is utterly transformed. The perspective and insights offered in We Know How This Ends reveal this daily reality and inspire a way forward for anyone who has suffered major loss and for anyone who surely will. Rather than wallowing in sadness and bitterness, anger and denial, Kramer accepted the crushing diagnosis. The educator and musician recognized that if he wanted a meaningful life, then embracing his imminent death was his only viable option. His decision was the foundation for profound, personal reflection and growth, even as his body weakened, and inspired him to share the lessons he was learning from ALS about how to live as fully as possible, even in the midst of devastating grief. At the time Kramer was diagnosed, broadcast journalist Cathy Wurzer was struggling with her own losses, especially her father’s slow descent into the bewildering world of dementia. Mutual friends put this unlikely pair—journalist and educator—together, and the serendipitous result has been a series of remarkable broadcast conversations, a deep friendship, and now this book. Written with wisdom, genuine humor, and down-to-earth observations, We Know How This Ends is far more than a memoir. It is a dignified, courageous, and unflinching look at how acceptance of loss and inevitable death can lead us all to a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Download or read book Caring for Your Baby and Young Child written by American Academy of Pediatrics and published by Bantam. This book was released on 2014 with total page 959 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Covers infant care, provides medical information, guidelines on growth, safety rules, and a discussion of family issues such as adoption, twins, etc.

Download or read book There Is No Good Card for This written by Kelsey Crowe and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2017-01-17 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The creator of the viral hit "Empathy Cards" teams up with a compassion expert to produce a visually stunning and groundbreaking illustrated guide to help you increase your emotional intelligence and learn how to offer comfort and support when someone you know is in pain. When someone you know is hurting, you want to let her know that you care. But many people don’t know what words to use—or are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. This thoughtful, instructive guide, from empathy expert Dr. Kelsey Crowe and greeting card maverick Emily McDowell, blends well-researched, actionable advice with the no-nonsense humor and the signature illustration style of McDowell's immensely popular Empathy Cards, to help you feel confident in connecting with anyone experiencing grief, loss, illness, or any other difficult situation. Written in a how-to, relatable, we’ve-all-been-that-deer-in-the-headlights kind of way, There Is No Good Card for This isn’t a spiritual treatise on how to make you a better person or a scientific argument about why compassion matters. It is a helpful illustrated guide to effective compassion that takes you, step by step by step, past the paralysis of thinking about someone in a difficult time to actually doing something (or nothing) with good judgment instead of fear. There Is No Good Card for This features workbook exercises, sample dialogs, and real-life examples from Dr. Crowe’s research, including her popular "Empathy Bootcamps" that give people tools for building relationships when it really counts. Whether it’s a coworker whose mother has died, a neighbor whose husband has been in a car accident, or a friend who is seriously ill, There Is No Good Card for This teaches you how to be the best friend you can be to someone in need.

Download or read book 26 Points of Light written by Maureen O'Brien and published by . This book was released on 2021-08-31 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If you or a loved one has been impacted by a critical diagnosis, this book will help illuminate the journey ahead.When a self-diagnosed shoulder injury turned out to be stage 4 lymphoma, Maureen O'Brien was reeling-and she wasn't alone. Her entire community had to grapple with this devastating news. But how should they reach out, and what could they do to help?When someone you know faces a critical diagnosis, it's difficult to understand what's expected of you. But if you're the one receiving the news, asking for help is its own struggle. In 26 Points of Light, O'Brien's community of care-family, friends, coworkers, extended family, and even medical staff-offer their unique experiences of the journey they walked with Maureen and share the knowledge they gained along the way. You'll learn:- How each caregiver was uniquely impacted by the diagnosis- Why the nurse-patient relationship is so important to anyone undergoing recovery- Why whatever you have to give is exactly the right thing to offer If someone you love has received an unexpected diagnosis, this book will help you "quarterback" their caregiving team and deliver constant, crucial encouragement. And for those experiencing it firsthand, it will illuminate their true impact on others and remind them that they are not alone.

Download or read book Creating Caring and Capable Boards written by Katherine Tyler Scott and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 2000-02-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book captures exquisitely the heart, mind, and spirit of leadership. With powerful insight and grace, Katherine Tyler Scott...shows us how we can recover that which is most precious and vulnerable in our society--trust. Creating Caring and Capable Boards will inspire anyone seeking to create meaning and value through leadership. It's a must-read!" --Ronald A. Heifetz, director, Leadership Education Project, Harvard University "This book will aid organizations in probing beneath the surface of board work to build leadership based on the convergence of personal and organizational values." --Eugene R. Tempel, executive director, Indiana University Center on Philanthropy "A valuable, practical book filled with wisdom that demonstrates how the vision, depth education, and foresight of the board as well as its commitment to the organization's mission are critical to success." --Larraine Matusak, senior leadership scholar, Burns Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland, and president, LarCon Associates Creating Caring and Capable Boards is for the millions of people who serve on nonprofit boards and for the executive staff who work with those boards. It offers readers a new and proven model of board leadership. Based on more than ten years of practical experience, this step-by-step process can help board members to refine their understanding of the organization, strengthen their commitment to mission and goals, and improve their ability to lead cohesively and effectively. Author Katherine Tyler Scott explores the historical context of board service, explains the duties of board trustees, and offers straightforward exercises to help trustees fulfill their unique roles. Much more than a guide, this book invites boards to renew their commitment to improving the social sector through caring and competent leadership.

Download or read book The Future of Nursing 2020 2030 written by National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine and published by . This book was released on 2021-09-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The decade ahead will test the nation's nearly 4 million nurses in new and complex ways. Nurses live and work at the intersection of health, education, and communities. Nurses work in a wide array of settings and practice at a range of professional levels. They are often the first and most frequent line of contact with people of all backgrounds and experiences seeking care and they represent the largest of the health care professions. A nation cannot fully thrive until everyone - no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make - can live their healthiest possible life, and helping people live their healthiest life is and has always been the essential role of nurses. Nurses have a critical role to play in achieving the goal of health equity, but they need robust education, supportive work environments, and autonomy. Accordingly, at the request of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, on behalf of the National Academy of Medicine, an ad hoc committee under the auspices of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conducted a study aimed at envisioning and charting a path forward for the nursing profession to help reduce inequities in people's ability to achieve their full health potential. The ultimate goal is the achievement of health equity in the United States built on strengthened nursing capacity and expertise. By leveraging these attributes, nursing will help to create and contribute comprehensively to equitable public health and health care systems that are designed to work for everyone. The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity explores how nurses can work to reduce health disparities and promote equity, while keeping costs at bay, utilizing technology, and maintaining patient and family-focused care into 2030. This work builds on the foundation set out by The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) report.

Download or read book Be Strong and Brave written by Nicole Pierson and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-08 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "He was right in front of me, and I was trying to give Him a hug" Gavin explained. "He brought his light down." Gavin Pierson was a healthy, energetic child until sudden changes led to the discovery of a mass in his brain. In the hospital, his parents Steve and Nicole felt helpless and fearful of the unknown journey ahead. Time stood still as Gavin's arm slowly stretched out, reaching for something. His account of what happened would be the driving force needed to save his life. "God told me - Gavin, please be strong and brave." When standard treatment failed, Gavin courageously began brain surgeries to control the relentless tumor growing in his brain. After five craniotomies, it was apparent there was no cure for his disease. He was dying. Despite a dismal prognosis, Gavin's faith persisted as he told his parents "I'm going to make it, you just have to believe." Gavin's resilience and strength pushed his medical team to find a cure. This inspiring memoir is a symbol of hope in the midst of fear.

Download or read book Shame written by Gershen Kaufman and published by Schenkman Books. This book was released on 1992 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: