Soul Support: Spiritual Encounters at Life's End: Memoir of a Hospital Chaplain

by Joan Paddock Maxwell

A young dancer's last hope--a bone marrow transplant--has failed. A homeless man, in the final stages of AIDS, refuses to speak. A newly retired woman has just received a terminal diagnosis and is wailing in despair. What can we learn about death, dying, and the human spirit as we journey with a hospital chaplain into sickrooms like these? Soul Support tells true stories of people coming to terms--or not--with their final days. It offers intimate, behind-the-scenes accounts of the many ways patients, their families and friends, and hospital staff all deal with death and dying. It speaks to readers reflecting on their own mortality or the life-threatening illness of a loved one, and tells of the sometimes-astonishing events that can occur when people are in their last hours of life. The book tells not only their stories, but also the chaplain's. It relates how she listened and learned and stumbled and grew. Soul Support speaks to believers and nonbelievers alike, providing information, inspiration, and hope.

Genres: Memoir, Medical

217 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2017

About the author

Author Joan Paddock Maxwell is a speaker and teacher about death and dying from a spiritual and psychological perspective, drawing from 12 years' experience as a hospital chaplain, 6 of them as interfaith palliative care chaplain at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC, where she specialized in patients who were dying.

"It was my joy to serve people from every walk of life and many different countries; people of many different faiths, including no faith at all. As life draws to a close, matters of the spirit become crucially important to patients and their families and friends." Visit joanpmaxwell.com for more information.

Reviews

[Shawne Frelier · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a nurse, and more recently as a woman diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, this book is priceless! Cheers to all the chaplains out there! If I’m granted enough time, seems like serving as a RN chaplain would be most honorable.

[Craig Dove · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that the chaplains at my workplace read together this year. There were certainly moments through the book when I thought, "I wouldn't have done that!" or, "how did she not see what was happening there?" But since these aren't verbatims for CPE, I realized eventually that I needed to leave the nitpicking behind. As someone who does similar work as the author, it was good to read and reflect on the differences as well as the similarities. I'm not really sure how someone who is unfamiliar with the work of the chaplain would read it; but for the most part, it cover that work pretty well.

[James Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving recollection of the author's experiences supporting patients in their final days. The language is accessible to the average reader, not only to specialists in spirituality or medicine. Every patient, regardless of age, gender, religion or socioeconomic background is treated with sympathy. This book is written by a Christian author, but the stories are friendly for readers of other denominations as well.

[Georgina Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides a range of meaningful reflections on all the men and women near the closing chapter of their lives. The author recounts each patient's experience with sympathy and respect. Interwoven with each story is a string of memories from the author's childhood and adolescence. A truly insightful read and essential for anyone supporting a relative or friend in palliative care. A moving reflection of life, death and the endurance of the human spirit.

Readers will find at the end of the book that there is a useful guide of resources to support patients and tips to prepare for hospital trips.