Death is But a Dream: Hope and meaning at life's end

Description

The first book to explore the meaningful dreams and visions that bring comfort as death nears. Experiences at the end of life testify to our greatest needs: to love and be loved, to be nurtured and feel connected, to be remembered and forgiven. Christopher Kerr is a hospice doctor. All of his patients die. Yet he has tended to thousands of patients who, in the face of death, speak of love, meaning and grace. They reveal that there is hope beyond cure as they transition to focus on personal meaning. In this extraordinary and beautiful book, Dr. Kerr shares his patients' stories and his own research pointing to death as not purely the end of life, but as a final passage of humanity and transcendence. Drawing on interviews with over 1,200 patients and more than a decade of quantified data , Dr. Kerr reveals why pre-death dreams and visions are remarkable events that bring comfort and exemplify human resilience. These are not regular dreams. Described as "more real than real," they frequently include loved ones long gone and mark the transition from distress to acceptance. These end-of-life experiences help patients restore meaning, make sense of the dying process and assist in reclaiming it as an experience in which they have a say. They also benefit the bereaved who get relief from seeing their loved ones pass with a sense of calm closure. Beautifully written with astonishing stories, this book, at its heart, celebrates the power to reclaim how we die, while soothing the bereaved who witness their loved ones go with unqualified grace.

Christopher Kerr, MD, PhD, is the Chief Medical Officer at The Center for Hospice & Palliative Medicine in Buffalo, New York. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Chris earned his MD as well as a PhD in eurobiology and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Rochester. His research has been featured in The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, and Psychology Today.

This comforting guide will reassure the dying and their loved ones while providing instructive portraits of end-of-life patients for those who work in medical and healing professions - Publisher's Weekly This comforting guide will reassure the dying and their loved ones while providing instructive portraits of end-of-life patients for those who work in medical and healing professions - Publisher's Weekly Whether you have a loved one nearing the end, or are contemplating what may lie beyond this life, you'll find that Dr Kerr's book brings meaning and even beauty to our final stage. I recommend it highly for anyone with a finite lifespan - Dale Bredesen, MD Based on deep experience, this loving, emotionally wise book will help many people find the path to love, acceptance and meaning as they face life's end - Katy Butler This reality is shared with us by a hospice physician who, himself, learned so much from the dying. And what did he learn? That by being truly present with those who are dying, one learns how to live - James Doty, MD A beautiful portrait of the human capacity for transcendence at the end of life. This book will inspire you reflect on the love and meaning you have experienced in your own life, and help you listen to, and be with, those nearing the end of their lives - Kelly McGonigal, PhD In this fascinating book, we meet the dying whose dreams, both sad and sweet, are powerful, beautiful medicine for the soul; theirs and ours. - Steve Leder, author of More Beautiful Than Before; How Suffering Transforms Us