Farewell, My Friend: A Step-By-Step Guide to Handling a Serious Illness and Even the Death of a Loved One

"Farewell, My Friend" is written for anyone who is concerned with death and dying or end of life issues. A key point of this insightful book is that it is imperative that a person take a proactive approach to handling their affairs BEFORE they have to deal with a crisis. Pre-planning is the key theme throughout “Farewell, My Friend.” The book is especially helpful in regards to end of life planning, such as planning for a funeral, end of life forms, wills, estate planning, and all the other subjects that come under the more general heading of end of life planning. The book leads the reader through a step-by-step process of what to do during the end of life process, starting with the diagnosis and spanning all the necessary actions that need to be taken during the actual dying, death, and grief process. The book has vitally important forms at the back of each chapter to track progress and is laced with humorous stories and reflections. It is uplifting, empowering and informative as it takes readers through the entire series of emotions that a caregiver, provider or family member might face during the end of life stage. The author bares herself throughout the entire book and pulls no punches. It is an easy read for laypeople and professionals alike. It is written from the perspective of someone who has been through the end of life process and understands the confusion and emotions experienced by those who are facing end of life issues. Some of the areas covered in this book are: * Letting your family know your end-of-life wishes. * How to meet with medical professionals and document your discussions. * Setting up a sick room from start to finish. * Handling legal matters and contract issues. * Maintaining your sanity and learning to perform like a matador by side stepping the "bull" that comes your way ... olé! * Navigating through the worlds of hospice, dying, death, grief and "closure". * Visualizing your new life. Author Beatrice Bailey was born in Davenport, Iowa. She attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a BA in Psychology from Cal State University, Sacramento. In addition, Bea conducts customized on different human resource and proper budgeting areas . She is a co-facilitator of a national GriefShare support group. Bea resides in Northern California and can be reached at: P. O.Box 2444, Citrus Heights, CA 95611-2444 or beatricebailey@yahoo.com.