There is nothing like coming home and finding a box leaning against your front door and when you rip it open, there are your author copies of the book that you spent 2.5 years writing and editing!
Such joy, such elation, such happiness, such a sense of accomplishment… so, Julie and I are busy marketing and strategizing how we each will use the book as we come from different backgrounds.
As a social worker/case manager/group facilitator, I have big plans with this book that will compliment my consulting business NorthernMSW, that I just launched last month, very well.
My goal, my mission, my passion is to raise awareness about death, dying, and end of life; provide education and training to professionals, lay-people and facilitate workshops, support groups, and discussion groups on this topic. A topic most ignore, pretend does not exist, do not discuss, and do not plan for.
Why is that? Why the fear? To be born, we will die. With any luck, we live a long life, but we never know…
Julie and I collaborated on this book to begin what we term ‘inspirational’ discussions, to further cultural awareness, understanding, and acceptance.
I have stated in other posts that I am an organ donor. To me, there is no greater mitzvah than to have my organs help someone else live a longer life after I have died…. My fiancé knows this and it is on my driver’s license.
Next, comes the ‘BIG’ talk and decisions of advance care directives and mandates; especially since I am getting married next June. I have 2 kids to think about. While they have a father to look after them, in case, my life insurance, and any pensions will go to both my kids and my soon-to be-husband.
Not a very happy conversation, BUT a needed one.
So, Julie and I collaborated and created this wonderful book that has so many perspectives in it from birth to death-abortions, miscarriages, child death, spousal death, friend death, partner death, pet death, client and patient death, resource information, training information, grief and bereavement information, checklists to plan, funeral information, advance care and mandate information and a chapter on an all to taboo topic-euthanasia and assisted dying, but it is a presentation of the facts and what exists around the world, along with quotes and more…..there is no other book like it on the shelves of any book store or library because I always look. An all in one book!
No matter how many times I read this book I am in awe of the contributions, the stories shared and yes, sometimes I tear up and other times I laugh….that is what life is about!
It is available on Xlibris, Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes & Noble. We are very proud of this book and owe a HUGE thank you to all who contributed as we would not have the book we have if not for all of the contributor’s perspectives.
So, from the bottom of our hearts, you have our gratitude and sincere appreciation!
The contributors are:
Elaine Mansfield
Evelyne Banks
Cheryl Jones
Jean Bota
Jordon Grumet, MD
Linda Darrah Reynolds
Jan Larsen-Fendt, RN, BSN
Carol Brannan Marimpietri
Sue Rumack (Canada)
Anonymous x 2 (1 Canada & 1 USA)
Maria Kubitz
John Brooks
Elizabeth Gillman, RN, BSN
Victoria Hargis
Pamela Christie
Sherokee Ilse
Keith Branson, MA
Patty Burgess
Mark Darrah
Virginia L. Seno, PhD
David Laliberte, AEMCA, PCP (Canada)
Karen Wyatt, MD
Karen Smith, PhD
Major Lynn Jones, Retired
Yosef Ben Avraham Yaacov
Rea L. Ginsberg, LCSW-C, ACSW, BCD
Anne Lastman, BA, MA, MTS
Rabbi Michael Wolff (Canada)
Salima Pirani
Robert S. Ball, MSN, RN
James C. Salwitz, MD
Claire Willis, LICSW
Andrew Thurston, MD
Barbara Bates Sedoric
Blair Botsford (Canada)
Donald M. Burrows
Eleanor Silverberg (Canada)
Robin Gordon Taft
Steve Byrne
Jeff Haberson
Cassandra Yonder (Canada)
Heather Taylor, RN (Canada)
Vicki M. Taylor
Sheryl Beller-Kenner, EdD (Canada)
Lee Witting
John Shuster, MD
Karen Wyatt, MD
Cynthia Cooper, RN
Sheryl J. Nicholson
Marcy Rosen Bernstein, LMSW
Gabriel Heras La Calle, MD (Spain)
Guillermo Godoy, MD
Sheryl Beller-Kenner, EdD
James Salwitz, MD
Along with various perspectives from both Julie Saeger Nierenberg (Canada)
and myself; Victoria Brewster (Canada)
NorthernMSW: Advocacy, Education/Guidance on Grief 