Death! It is unavoidable. It is the final act of one’s life span.

It can arrive suddenly without prelude; which is probably the wish of everyone. We fear death because we don’t know when, why, how, where.

How old will I be when I die? What time of the year? What month? Will it be in the daytime or at night? Death has no time schedule; so anytime of the year or day, death can arrive.

Why? There are more reasons than I can list efficiently. Perhaps it is simply old age and my body has worked so hard being alive that it is just worn out. Perhaps it is because some incurable disease had claimed my body and ravished it until there is nothing left.

Perhaps it is at the hands of others; the thief who shoots me at work for what ever can be gained, or the drunk driver who doesn’t remember the accident or the lives claimed.

How? Now everyone, even those reluctant to think about death or dying secretly wishes for a peaceful death; one without pain, with family available for comfort, and having a good spiritual health depending on specific belief systems. What is not wanted is ongoing uncontrollable pain creating sleeplessness, anxiety, stress for the dying person and the family involved.

Where? It can be anywhere. If an accident is the cause it could be in a car, on the road or at a work site. It could be at a work place. Or a hospital . How about a nursing home? But why not at home surrounded by family and friends including pets?

Most people have heard of the word “hospice” and understand it as a service available to people with cancer and are approaching death. This is partially true; hospice is available to anyone with what is considered a terminal health concern and who are not seeking aggressive treatment. For example severe congested heart failure, end stage Alzheimers, Failure to thrive (when a person is no longer able to eat or communicate)- none of these are cancer. Generally, people who feel that they have lived a quality life and now want the peace, comfort and pain free environment of their home. Hospice can do this for people of all ages…. Remember its not only the elderly people who die. Hospice is comprised of Doctors, Pharmacists, Registered Nurses, Nurses Aides, Social Workers, Chaplains, Volunteers and most importantly the patient and their family.

When it is my time to die and my time will most definitely come; if it is not a swift death, then I will pursue the Hospice path. In doing so I will definitely have some control over “how”, because my pain and comfort will be managed by the compassionate members of Hospice. Although I do not have the choice of not dying someday; I can chose to die well in the comfort of my home, with the love of my family and my cats. I can chose to make my death the climax of my life.