Death & Dying

Even though it's inevitable, death and dying is just as mysterious and elusive a subject in the modern world as it was in prehistoric times. Professional people who work with the dying seem to us both heroic and saintly. Yet the hospice or oncology department staff see nothing unusual about their work. "We do what has to be done," they say matter-of-factly. Bris Bird is a nurse in a palliative care unit. She has vast experience working with terminal patients, both in the hospital setting and through home care service. She also lectures extensively on her down-to-earth, humane approach to the dying. "It's less difficult to die at home than in a medical setting," she states categorically.