Asking agonizing questions at the end of life Dec 1, 2015 LOS ANGELES — More times than she can count, Carin van Zyl has heard terminally ill patients beg to die. They tell her that they can’t handle the pain, that the nausea is unbearable, that ... Continue Reading Doctor recommends focusing on life before death Sep 3, 2015 Death is not a subject that most people want to think or talk about, which Dr. Ira Byock thinks is unfortunate. Not only will everyone experience it eventually, but humans are unique in being aware of ... Continue Reading 5 Questions for Ira Byock Apr 10, 2015 A dialogue on end-of-life care. From Spirituality & Health Magazine. 5 Questions with Ira Byock This is the third in a series of short interviews on end-of-life care that I’m conducting for ... Continue Reading Dying Shouldn't Be So Brutal Jan 31, 2015 “Travel safe!” It has become a nearly reflexive wish I give to friends who are coming or going. This fall, I noticed myself holding back from saying it to Michael, a dear friend who was ... Continue Reading We should think twice about 'death with dignity' Jan 30, 2015 Physician-assisted suicide is back on California's political agenda. Indeed, anyone who read the newspaper or watched TV coverage when the End of Life Option Act (SB 128) was introduced Jan. 21 ... Continue Reading 5 Action Steps to Improve End-of-Life Care in Your Community Jan 25, 2015 While we may not be able to singlehandedly transform the death industry in our country, each one of us can do something in our lives and our own communities to make a difference. We just have to be ... Continue Reading