Some Light at the End - third edition: an End-of-Life Guidebook for Patients and Their Caregivers

by Beth Cavenaugh

Some Light at the End - third edition is a black and white version of the original book. This book is a candid and compassionate guidebook to use at the end of your life. If you’re a patient who has just received a terminal diagnosis, you can still make decisions about your care, your life, and your death. An experienced hospice nurse reveals with tenderness and transparency what options you may have at this time and the information you need to make decisions that are right for you. Using personal stories and a touch of humor, the author demonstrates what hospice can be in its best form. She walks you through practicalities at the end-of-life including preparing your affairs, managing medications and dealing with common physical symptoms such as pain, constipation, shortness of breath, and anxiety. The author gently reveals what it is like to decline and eventually die, hoping to dissolve some of the mystery and shed some light at the end. And at some point, you will have family, friends, or professionals involved in your care—they too can benefit from all the information in this book. If you know what to expect when you are dying, you can make informed choices about your caregivers, your relationships, your medications, and even your breakfast—ice cream sundae, please! The hope is that you can exit this world knowing you will be taken care of and your wishes will be respected. This is your journey—this book will help you to feel cared for, to be comfortable, and to have the empowerment you deserve in this final stage of your beautiful life. This third black and white edition was formatted to offer a cheaper and smaller option.

174 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2020

About the author

Beth Cavenaugh is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse and educator with over 14 years of experience in caring for terminally ill patients. She has been a registered nurse for over 24 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Creighton University. Beth has supported hundreds of patients and their families at inpatient units, in the home setting, and behind the scenes in hospice care. Compassion, patient autonomy, and transparent communication are at the core of her care philosophy.

Beth hopes to demystify death and dying so this powerful moment will be embraced as a normalized and celebrated life event. She continues to work in hospice and has a private Reiki practice to support physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for adults and teens.

Beth lives with her husband in Portland, Oregon, where they have (almost) successfully finished raising their three kids. Learn more at BethCavenaugh.com.