helped much as dad died
practical, thorough, reliable, and compassionate. i felt prepared as i helped care for my dying father. i used suggestions from the book to improve his final days.

Death, dying and hospice
Wonderful and compasionate book about death and dying. I read Elisabeth Kubler-Ross' landmark book "On Death and Dying" and this book applies most of her principal ideas into practice. The fact that book is written by a medical doctor, Ira Byock, also helps better understanding of both physiological and psychological aspects of dying and how it affect dying person and people around them. This book definitely promotes hospice and helps educate about preparation for the death and grieving process before, during and after death. One knows that this is a comapassionate physician after reading a first chapter describing death of author's own father from cancer. I was crying by the end of it - that is how moved I was about the beauty of it. In spite of Dr. Byock's assurances that pain and discomfort can be eliminated, it is very important to have a right mix of dictors, nurses, bath aids and volunteers willing and capable to make such assesments. Having family willing, understanding and able to take care of dying person is one of the best blessings one could hope for. But for people with no children, or family around (immigrants, exiles, etc.) it may be difficult to navigate modical system without adequate help. I would say - get acquanted with your local hopisce care on your own and learn about people in that office especially if you know you or someone you know is terminally ill, very old or otherwise close to dying process. If in today's world we shop for best schools, best homes, best cars why not look around for the best talent in palliative care for the purpose of making sure our last days are filled with comfort, care and best possible support? Stories in this book are very powerful, probably because people in these stories are real and in some way they have touched Dr. Byock too. There are times when I can picture them and I find myself crying. There are some good practical advices too in this book such as taking care of living will, power of attorney and getting legal things in order before death. I would strongly recommend reading this book to anyone.

Taking care of a dying person is a act of love
Death is a hard subject to talk about. In this book the author relate histories of dying persons with respect and love, letting the reader know that's possible die without pain and surrounded by loved ones.

An Exquisite Discussion of End of Life Issues
This is an immensely valuable book for anyone with a friend or family member (or one's own self)dealing with end of life issues. With deeply moving personal stories of patients treated by a hospice physician, the book often reads like a novel. But integrated into these stories is a very important message about the value of the dying process, both to the dying person and his or her loved ones. While not an overtly religious book, the author makes a strong case for hospice care for the dying, including effective pain management and maintaining dignity for the dying person. This becomes a strong refutation of the euthanasia movement.

Many of these stories will create a strong emotional response in the reader, but there is never a maudlin or overly sentimental tone to any of the stories. An incredible amount of wisdom is imparted by the author, and will provide much that can help families working through life and death issues. Particularly valuable are insights on the appropriateness of forgoing treatment, including feeding tubes, the effects of the dying process on the body (including the transition to "other-worldliness" that is often seen in the dying who let go of their attachments to the things of this life), and the reminder that the dying are, in fact, still living. Dealing with physicians, who are trained to "cure disease" versus provide "dying care," is, in itself, reason to read this book.

This is a "must-read" for those who are interested in hospice care issues, who want to be able to have an intelligent conversation about end of life issues in a personal or academic setting, or those who just want to know what it means to die well. The fact that the poignant stories remain in the reader's mind well after they have been read put a human face (so to speak) on the issue. If it can be said (and, many would argue, aptly so) that Americans have an ingrained avoidance of thinking about dying (except to fear it or deny it), a widespread reading of this work will help us to deal with the inevitably of our death more wisely.

A Sincere Thank You
I wanted to take a few minutes and thank you for the inspiration, hope, and peacefulness that I got out of reading your book, "Dying Well". My Mom, who was 84 last December, had been ill with cancer for about 2 years, and these last few months had been really rough with her oncologist chasing tumor after tumor. Just about a month ago, I purchased your book, and read it, and it gave me great hope in the process. Also that there is a real opportunity with patients who have a terminal disease, to let them know how much they mean to each other, and an opportunity to give them as much love, and show as much compassion as possible. Finally, I'd like to thank you again, for helping me understand the process of Dying Well, and for the knowledge of making the end of life meaningful by showing love and compassion to our beloved Mom, and for the inspiration of your personal stories, and the stories of your other patients who were in similar circumstances as my family. And thank you for Hospice, a great and compassionate service for which our family is grateful.