Aug 21, 2023
The world of hospice nursing has always been a profound
intersection of life and death, revealing lessons not only about
the journey of mortality but also about the true essence of living
in the shadow of it.
On this Podcast, my guest is Hadley Vlahos or simply Nurse
Hadley. Hadley is not just a seasoned hospice nurse but also an
end-of-life educator and now a New York Times bestselling author.
Her journey and her experiences became the foundation for her
bestselling work, The In-Between: Unforgettable
Encounters During Life's Final Moments. The
book captures deep, poignant stories from her time with patients,
giving insights into what life's final moments can teach us about
existence itself.
Beyond her written work, Hadley has taken a step further with
her nonprofit respite hospice house. This sanctuary is
conceptualized to offer families a peaceful environment to remember
and celebrate their loved ones.
In today's episode, we cover these topic points :
- Her journey from young mother to nurse and from hospice nurse
to author.
- Hadley's experiences where patients stated and acted out as if
they were seeing their deceased loved ones - and what they reveal
about end-of-life encounters.
- The enigma of the "in-between moments" and their
interpretations.
- Our shared narratives on the afterlife and my skepticism.
- Some common and not-so-common regrets of the dying
- How Hadley thinks about death and how she tries to live her
life in its shadow
- And lastly, the practicalities of hospice, from deciding when
it's time to seek hospice care to understanding the intricacies of
coverage.
Despite the heavy nature of the topic, this episode is
remarkably life-affirming. Many thinkers, from philosophers to
psychologists, have advocated that understanding our own mortality
paves the way to a richer, fuller life. Today's discussion provides
not just a touch of emotional depth but also very practical advice
that is invaluable to hear in advance of ever needing
it.