We are increasing hearing about the idea of a ‘good death’. For some people this might mean euthanasia but it is actually about so much more. Look up Kate Granger’s blog. Kate is a terminally ill cancer patient. She has spoken about her impending death on radio 4. Kate is charting her illness and her thoughts about life and death. She make suggestions on making death easier to address as a subject of conversation. She says that humour, with dignity is so important. Some of my best funerals have included an injection of humour. With the family’s agreement I included a few ‘risque’ comments and it went down very well. Lots of the mourners said it was the best funeral they had attended.

Kate suggests making a ‘death plan’ in the same way a pregnant woman would make a ‘birth plan’. And why not? If you know you are dying then why not make a plan of who you would like to be there? Would you like aromatherapy treatment as you die? Accupuncture? Scented candles in the room? Music playing? A favourite book read to you? I know we never know exactly when death will happen but we dont with birth either.( unless you have a caesarian) The hard fact is we prefer to avoid admitting that we are dying. We live in hope. We think by not saying the word death we are being positive. But this is not realistic. Being positive and strong is about facing the truth, the facts and making death comfortable and something not to be feared.

Visit Kate’s blog at drkategrangerwordpress.com