Amanda Pendrith

Life, death and love

My friends son is buried in a local cemetery. While she was visiting his gravesite two maintenance workers treated her with a lack of respect and compassion that should not be tolerated. This is not acceptable. Change needs to happen.

What if you were in a sudden accident or diagnosed with a serious illness? What if you were unable to speak for yourself? Who would speak for you? Do t...hey know what matters most to you? It's about conversations. It's about wishes. It's about how we care for each other. ' www.advancecareplanning.ca | www.planificationprealable.ca See more

The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That’s how... much gratitude I can give. If I carry only grief, I’ll bend toward cynicism and despair. If I have only gratitude, I’ll become saccharine and won’t develop much compassion for other people’s suffering. Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible. ~ Francis Weller [Image: Lucy Campbell]

Did you know that over 1 million Americans lose their physicians yearly to suicide? This number is predicted to rise as we are going to see physicians with CPTS...D from the enormous trauma they're going through with the COVID-19. The good thing is that we can intervene early. Hospitals and hospices need to be providing CBT, talk therapy, medication and other resources for all staff members. Furthermore, we as health-care professionals need to support one another and normalize the conversation around PTSD, moral injury, burn out, depression and etc. in our profession. We have to take care of ourselves too. See more

"Death and suffering surround us all the time, but, typically the mourning are not in danger of being trampled by public debate". There will never be a "resume ..." to normal for them or all of our healthcare workers. In this place, we should spare a moment for sorrow and grief. Let's honor our commitment to stand together and let everyone who is grieving know that their loss and pain is seen and felt. We are with them in their suffering and we are not indifferent to their pain. We, as a society have to do this and stand as one and be the change. Please remember when you are complaining about being stuck at home for a month, that you could be one of the thousands heartbroken, mourning and forever living in the after people or you could be dead and have nobody at your service... - All the best, Megan See more