Farewell: Vital End-of-Life Questions with Candid Answers from a Leading Palliative and Hospice Physician

By: Edward Creagan MD, Sandra Wendel

Narrated by: Benjamin McLean

Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

How long am I going to live? Who will be with me when I die? Will my family forgive me? Will I have pain? These are among the 31 vital end-of-life questions patients and their families ask. This audiobook is about navigating those last days, at the bedside, and saying farewell with hope, love, and compassion.

Dr. Edward Creagan provides the reassuring answers patients and families deserve. He has dedicated his life to death. For over 40 winters at the Mayo Clinic he has been at the bedside with more than 40,000 patient encounters in the last stages of their lives on this Earth. He has held the hands of family members. Prayed with them. Listened.

This audiobook addresses:

• Making end-of-life decisions when Mom or Dad or a loved one can't or won't.
• Understanding what's happening in the mind of someone facing their last days, hours, minutes, and moments.
• How to come to grips with our own mortality, maybe putting plans in place, living life differently after having held the hand of a loved one who is actively dying.
• Ways to give hope where none seemed possible.
• Death from a medical perspective, and much more.

Dr. Ed is the first Mayo Clinic doctor board certified in hospice and palliative medicine. He is also board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology (cancer). He is professor emeritus of medical oncology at the Mayo Clinic Medical School, where he held the endowed chair as the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine, and he is now Emeritus Professor of Humanism in Medicine and an Emeritus Consultant in Palliative Medicine.

©2018 Edward Creagan (P)2018 Edward Creagan

Critic reviews

"Every human deserves dignity and peace in the final chapter of life. Written by a caring physician with experience in palliative care and deep knowledge of the dying process, FareWell is a must-read book that could help each of us personally and also benefit those caring for the terminally ill." (Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP cofounder, Chopra Center for Wellbeing)

wise advice for anyone providing care

As a Hospice volunteer caregiver, this book has provided wonderful, practical advice I'll use to provide BETTER care for my patients and their caregivers. Thank you! Narrator was very good, and performed with great rhythm & inflection! Will keep on my device as a reference book!

Helpful, Informative

I decided on this title for two reasons: 1) We are facing a possible end of life situation with a family member and 2) I wish that I had a book like this when I was sitting with my grandmother as she was dying a couple of years ago. So many important things to learn about situations like these. I think that we are generally afraid of being with someone who is dying, but I believe that learning how and when to talk to them is very important. It is something that we all face at some point. This book gives good direction and helps to navigate you through this process. I would definitely recommend this book. My mother works in a Long Term Advanced Care Hospital, and she and I were speaking about this book. She said that there is a general misunderstanding within hospitals about palliative care doctors and what they do. She is going to recommend this book to her patient's families. Thank you Dr. Creagan for your work. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is worth reading and I highly recommend it.

A wonderful tool

My father is in hospice care at home and is slowly dying. It is a difficult process and I needed to know what was going on as well as the choices we can make to make this time easier. This book was very useful in giving some of those answers.

Caring and well explained

This is the kind of book that one never thinks of reading but it is one that should be in everyone’s to be read pile since we are bound to find these situations at some point in life. I was kind of dreading listening to this book because I was afraid of feeling it may awake in me.

It was a hard book but so thoughtful and well planned. There is no stone left unturned regarding palliative care, how the dying person may be experimenting it, and how the family may be taking it. This book is not meant to be read when the difficult situation has already arrived, but in advance, to help planning and make the best or least bad decision.

It is clear from the book that doctor Edward Creagan has had a broad experience in this matters, and he is explicit but also very respectful, and moreover, caring when explaining the process and the options at each step.

Benjamin McLean did a wonderful job narrating this book, creating the illusion of becoming Creagan, and adopting a caring and patient ton, the one everyone wants to hear when facing such difficult moments.

I know this book won’t appeal to many people, but I think it’s a must read since everyone will be in a similar situation at some point, and even though we may want to avoid thinking about this, having things in order and knowing what to do when the moment comes can save us a lot of grief.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Everyone should read this book

At times this book was difficult to listen to but so worth it. I am not a caregiver at this place in my life but I have been and wish I had this book at that time. Even if you are never a caregiver this book is a wonderful informative book on end of life ( which can come at any age). The author has 40 years of helping with the transition from this life. As an oncologist his focus has been cancer but this book is so much more than just cancer. Lots of questions that need to answered no matter your age or health. Great insights in to how best to handle end of life bedside manners. How to deal with the overwhelming health care issues. Insights to how you need to be aware of insurance and medical stuff (knowing this before you are in an emotional situation is so smart). If you walk away with nothing more than you should get your wishes for end of life in order and your estate no matter your age you will be a head of the game. Your family will be able to better help you too. I was gifted this book with the understanding that I would leave an honest review. This book was truly a gift in so many ways. This book shows that end of life can be done with ease and dignity and having knowledge in advance will help in a small way with the grief that will come.

Current and Relevant

Well written. Thorough and thoughtful. I am an RN whom has just returned to the field of hospice. This information completely coincides with and validates my latest experiences as a hospice coordinator for a large hospital. I can only write this review as a RN. I am not sure how non-medical people will review it. I would think it would be helpful for them, too. I will definitely be listening to this again sometime.

Essential reading

In an easy to understand, straightforward manner Dr. Creagan and Sandra Wendel explain how to improve the quality of life for a person who is in the process of dying. They explain in careful detail how to focus on a person’s life when death is eminent, highlighting the benefits of palliative care, and hospice care. The role of family members and the importance of patient-centered medicine are key to the well being of a person who needs to make end-of-life decisions. The book explains what to include in an advanced directive and the conversations you should have with your health care proxy.

This is valuable information that can minimize or eliminate pain and suffering at the end of life. Most of us understand that death is inevitable. Many of us can put off thoughts about dying until we receive a diagnosis of a life threatening disease or until one of our family members becomes critically ill. So “Farewell” may not be on your want-to-read list. I urge you to read it anyway. Even though the first chapter explains how to use the book at the bedside, I recommend that you don’t wait until you need this information immediately. The Audible version is an excellent overview, however it does not include chapter headings or the resources section of the book. For that you will need either the print or e-book version.

WIsh I had this b4 mom died. Glad I have it now.

I wish I had this before my mother died. Glad I have it as my adult children grow, before my time comes.

Much needed for Caregivers

This is a great book for people in the care giving role. I wish I had this book while I was taking care of my mom. The information is very useful.

How should you deal with all aspects of death?

This excellent audiobook gives the listener thorough insight into how to deal with dying in all its stages of passage, both for others, loved ones, and for oneself. One learns to thoroughly prepare for and cope with difficult situations many of us might not anticipate.

The narration keeps your attention with numerous true-life stories.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.