Dying Made Easy(er) Book Review

Dying - it's something none of us want to think about, let alone discuss. But dying is a natural - and inevitable - part of life. The more prepared we can be for the event, the better, in my opinion.

When my stepmother died a few years ago, she had everything in order for my dad to take care of after she passed. She fought a long, hard battle with aplastic anemia for a couple of years before she died. Her last hope was a bone marrow transplant. She knew going into the procedure that there was a 25% chance that she would not survive it.

Part of the process for a bone marrow transplant is destroying a person's immune system with chemotherapy. This means that if any infection or illness were to occur, her body could not fight it off, and antibiotics, are useless in these cases as well.

The doctors said that if someone could survive for three months after the bone marrow transplant, they were very likely to keep surviving.

Sadly, at the very end of that three months, Marie (my stepmom) developed pneumonia. Because she had no immune system, she could not fight the illness. It was the thing that took her life - far too soon, in my opinion. She was the kindest, gentlest person I have ever had the honor of knowing. While we weren't close, her death really affected me because of how much she suffered and because of the kind of person she was.

After she died, my dad told me the amount of paperwork he had to do to tie things up was unbelievable. And, as I previously mentioned, Marie had everything in order. I cannot imagine how much more paperwork there would have been if she hadn't gotten all of her affairs in order ahead of time.




When I was given the opportunity to review Dying Made Easy(er) by Myra Bennett, I jumped at the chance. I am not terminally ill myself. However, my health is poor compared to other average adults my age. I'm not getting any younger. I wanted to know how I could get my affairs in order like Marie did. Because I don't have a significant other, tying up loose ends will likely fall to my sister (provided I outlive my parents). I want to make things as simple on her as I can.

About the Book: Dying Made Easy(er) by Myra Bennett helps us explore how to face death. In a society where so many technological and medical advances allow people to live longer, treatment options do not always help those with terminal illnesses have a quality life. This book helps the terminally ill and those who love them explore treatment options and make choices regarding the end of life.

Bennett, a hospice nurse and certified end of life doula, who has grappled with death in her own personal life, helps readers explore death from different perspectives: legal, psychological, physical, spiritual, and social. She believes that it's important that we be aware of how to find help when faced with death. Her book provides information and resources on how to get that help.

Bennett is committed to helping people understand dying as the last - but not the least - chapter of life. She encourages us to dream about what that chapter might look like. In her compassionate book, she helps readers turn their dreams into a reality that not only fulfills their needs and desires at the end of life, but those of their loved ones as well.

My Thoughts: This book was a little different than I imagined it would be. I thought the book would focus on how to get our affairs in order before we die. The first chapter of the book did help guide the reader in this process.

However, most of the book focused on the choices we have to make our end of life the best it can possibly be. For instance, she discusses the advantages and benefits of hospice, home health care, and end of life doulas and how these resources can help us in our greatest time of need. I grew up with health care professionals and even worked in a nursing home myself, so I had a pretty good understanding of home health care and hospice. I wasn't aware of end of life doulas, though. All three services have benefits to offer a person who is dying as well as their loved ones. This book has a wealth of information and resources terminally ill and dying people can take advantage of.

Bennett also explains how the body and mind work during the dying process. This information may help ease the fears of a terminally ill person or his or her loved ones.

I feel everyone, terminally ill or not, should read through this book. Bennett presents a lot of information that can help you get your affairs in order, make informed decisions about your dying process, and get the help you need while facing death.

About the Author: Myra Bennett has been a student of death and dying since she lost her husband in 2001. The following years saw the loss of many other family and friends. These losses gave her life experiences that would help her care for the dying as a hospice nurse in a national hospice agency.

Myra is now a certified end of life doula at Compassionate Crossings, located in Sacramento. She not only helps guide and support terminally ill people and their loved ones, she also speaks and educates on all subjects related to death and dying.

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FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of, "Dying Made Easy(er)" by Myra Bennett for a fair and honest review. Receiving the book did not influence my opinions in any way. All opinions expressed on Fur Everywhere are my own.