Final Gifts by Maggie Callanan, Patricia Kelley (1997, Paperback, Reprint)

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal cancer October 2005, and we were told she had days to live. She was 81 years old, a delightful and generous person - never complained about pains - had her own business until age 80 and continued working there part-time until she became ill. We lived 2 1/2 hours away - my husband came over at least once a week to take his mom to the grocery store, beauty shop, change the linens on the bed, etc. I made the trip once/month. We both came over August 19, 2006 because she had fallen out of bed and lay on the floor for several hours before her husband found her. He was 87 and surprisingly he got her back in the bed without both of them laying in the floor.

I never went back home - my husband went back and forth to care for our pets and take care of business. The hardest part was dealing with family members - and extended family members. I did not find this book until after my mother-in-law died and I was cleaning out a desk. She died on September 28, 2006 - almost 2 years after diagnosis....and I found the book just last week. Reading the book helped me even though it's been 5 months, I think mostly because it helped me understand a little more that people react in so many ways to a loved one dying.

I would recommend this book to anyone that has a loved one that is dying. It helps you understand the different feelings you have. I think the best part is how it guides you in talking and carrying on a conversation with a dying loved one.

I highly recommend this book.

This little book has helped me as I start a new job as a Hospice CNA. I have held the hand of 55 wonderful people at a nursing home this past year and a half as they passed into their new life. What a privledge to be the one that can help them at this beautiful time of ending life. People view a babies birth into this world as a wonderful event..we can look at the passing of a person in the same way....what a joy to share. This book helped me see the event from the other persons view. Thanks to the nurses that wrote it.

Final Gifts was written by 2 Hospice nurses and is very informative about end of life. I think anyone dealing with end of life issues would gain from reading this book

I purchased this book as a gift for my sister who works in a hospice setting. She has found the information helpful and often refers her client's families to this text.

i AM A HOSPICE NURSE AND EARLY IN MY CARREER A FAMILY SHARED SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND I FINIALLY ABLE TO GET MY OWN COPY.

This is a great book for anyone dealing with someone terminally ill! It really helps you understand the process of dying!

The book arrived yesterday and it is in mint condition. I began reading it last night and hopefully it will explain some unanswered questions about things my husband said and did during his final days. He was diagnosed with cancer in January and died in May. We had hospice for 2 days when he died. It was sudden and before even the doctors had thought.

This is an amzing book about the concept of Near Dying Awareness. Dying people go through this process which can be confusing to those around them. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a dying loved one. It explains a lot!

This book is a MUST for anyone providing Hospice care! I always have several on hand to give to patients and families.....very comforting, well written, and it makes a great impact on lives.

Very interesting book! No problems receiving it at all! Came in very good condition, just like the review said.

This is the 3rd one I've bought--my mother just recently passed over and it helped me get through the grieving process. Bought 2 more and gave to friends who had just lost a parent. They in turn bought 5 more to give to siblings who were having a difficult time dealing with the lost of a parent.

The book is being used for a course in death and dying. It is also very informative and keeps my attention. The book was in great condition.

Loved it! My mother was just diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and am so glad it was recommended to me. I'm not real religious (that's what 9 years of Catholic School will do to you) but this book really made me think. No pushing of religion at all. It was just a comforting book and one I know will help me ultimately when her time comes...Fast and interesting reading.

WHAT IS THERE NOT TO LOVE ABOUT THIS TOUCHING DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE MANY FACETS OF DEATH & DYING. THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!

I found an article online regarding this book, "Final Gifts", during the time my sister was dying with colon cancer. The author of the online article suggested the book for anyone going thru such a situation. I immediately ordered the book. When faced with the fact that her time with us was coming to an end...I read the book. Her husband found the book lying on the sofa and he read it. Her daughter-in-law found the book lying in the den and she read it....passing it along to her husband (my sisters' son). We were all around her when she died, and we all feel that because we read this book...we were all more prepared for what we had to go thru. It didn't make the process any easier...but it gave us direction and insite into something that we never thought we would have to do. My friend asked for a copy and I ordered this one for her. I would suggest this book for anyone who is having to face the ordeal of an "end-of-life" situation.

I liked the book very much because it filled a knowledge vacuum for me. I have a close relative who is dying and I wanted to understand better what he is going through so that I can respond rather than react. This book is written by 2 very experienced hospice nurses who write with insight, tenderness, and positivism. I bought the book at the recommendation of a hospice chaplain.

This was purchased as a gift for a friend that is experiencing the difficulty of loosing both her parents. She really loves this book it has helped her cope with what is happening. I bought it online because the book stores can not keep it on the shelves. It is very hard to find. The Half.com website had many to choose from at a fraction of the price that stores are selling this book for.

The reason I got this book is because my Dad was in the dying room in nursing home , his pastor came to see him and said this is a good book ( Fianl Gift ) and help to let loved know that you must let go and let us know more about death and losing a loved one. I have not read all this book yet , but is is a good book and will let others in my family read it. My Father did get better and was put in his own room again. He is 93 years so we never know and now he is sick again.
Pastor Bush , has classed on this book for family that has a loved one that is very ill and death is near .