Talking with Angel about Illness, Death and Survival is the moving story of a young girl battling leukaemia. She eventually realizes that she is going to die and receives hope and comfort through nightly conversations with her favourite doll, Angel, who helps her embrace a new perspective on dying and the possibility that consciousness may survive after death. Her fear of death is ultimately lifted by her new-found spiritual wisdom and by the account of a near-death experience told to her by a young companion, as well as by a deathbed vision she has of her deceased grand-mother.

This is the moving story of a young girl battling leukemia who realizes she is going to die. She receives hope and comfort through nightly conversations with her favourite doll, Angel, who helps her to embrace a new perspective on dying, and the possibility that consciousness could survive after death. Her fear of death is ultimately lifted by her new-found spiritual wisdom and by the account of a near-death experience told to her by a young companion.Evelyn Elsaesser-Valarino's extensive knowledge of near-death experiences informs this astonishing book. It will be of great benefit and comfort to those facing their own death, or for parents and carers of those with serious illnesses. It will also enrich anyone who is reflecting on this essential aspect of life.

This large-scale international investigation into spontaneous After-Death Communications (ADCs) reveals the circumstances, nature and consequences of these beautiful and consoling experiences. You will discover the powerful beneficial impact of these deeply meaningful contacts, allegedly initiated by the deceased towards their loved ones.

For anyone who has suffered loss, or is facing a personal trial, the pain can be overwhelming, and you might feel at a loss as to where to look for healing. From a young age I have wondered about the day that I will die and what my life will have meant. At the age of twenty-two, I was confronted by death in the form of cancer, and then again at age thirty-three in the form of heart disease. Those events helped clarify for me what direction my life should take, but only with the help of other people, my angels in the shadow of death. They helped show me the light when all I saw was darkness. And now I try to be an angel myself, to help those who feel like they are living in death's dark shadow. We should never have to suffer alone. This is the story of my journey from illness to health, from darkness to light, and I hope that it brings healing and light to all who read it.

of older children, adults, and the family unit as a whole. These moral evaluations are, in turn, influenced by such external contingencies as popula tion demography, social and economic factors, subsistence strategies, house hold composition, and by cultural ideas concerning the nature of infancy and childhood, definitions of personhood, and beliefs about the soul and its immortality. MOTHER LOVE AND CHILD DEATH Of all the many factors that endanger the lives of young children, by far the most difficult to examine with any degree of dispassionate objectivity is the quality of parenting. Historians and social scientists, no less than the public at large, are influenced by old cultural myths about childhood inno cence and mother love as well as their opposites. The terrible power and significance attributed to maternal behavior (in particular) is a commonsense perception based on the observation that the human infant (specialized as it is for prematurity and prolonged dependency) simply cannot survive for very long without considerable maternal love and care. The infant's life depends, to a very great extent, on the good will of others, but most especially, of course, that of the mother. Consequently, it has been the fate of mothers throughout history to appear in strange and distorted forms. They may appear as larger than life or as invisible; as all-powerful and destructive; or as helpless and angelic. Myths of the maternal instinct compete, historically, witli -myths of a universal infanticidal impulse.

Louis Williamson is not like most other teenagers: he's an eccentric Christian optimist. However, that's not what makes him special. What makes him special is that on a world full of magic, heroes, and evil, Louis is a prophesized hero called the 'Linkara' and is destined to defeat a great Darkness, fight off an army of Dark Knights, and end a 300-year war by using an armor that was imbued by angels. How does Louis react to the news? Only one word sums it up: groovy.

When an aging, agnostic physician encounters a young woman in the emergency room who is dying of respiratory failure; their relationship leads to an intense examination of faith and ethics in modern medicine. The friendship that develops between patient and physician is based on their shared Catholic background. Ethical conflicts develop as her disease becomes terminal and she requests a painless death. The ethical, legal, and emotional consequences for the physician are explored in the final chapters. A Single Degree of Freedom is a fictional account of what happened after the death of Sarah who spent over two and a half months in the hospital. Her physician stands accused of not only assisting her death but also of having an inappropriate relationship with her. The story from the Boston papers ran this lurid headline: "Mercy Killing- Doctor's Assisted Suicide of His Lover." As he sits before the Medical Board fighting for his reputation and his practice of over thirty-five years, he must also face his medical student daughter who questions what really happened and why! A Single Degree of Freedom is written in the form of a letter to his daughter allowing him to explain his relationship with Sarah and what ultimately caused her death.

After a life that has spanned more than six decades, Dwight N. Wood, Sr., now provides an intensely painful but transparent account of his story starting from birth and leading to the present day. He always attempted to hide away the damaging scars of a major heart surgery and the sometimes cruel events prompted by poverty. It was his choice to cover up and contain his deepest emotions within his heart and mind. Survival of the Heart Tragedy of the Mind is a spiritual and surprising story of medical survival and human tragedy. Wood characterizes his most detailed memories of his childhood and the sacrifices of his family, which always supported his dreams of living a normal life. After he became an adult, he once again faced the demons of his past physical and mental battles. He recounts the hardships associated with despair, dying, and death. He expresses the mental struggles of living in the past while not looking toward the present and future. The emotional and monetary costs of failing to seek professional guidance nearly led to his demise. Wood admits to the consequences of being a man who has had to deal with denial and rejection. His book is about learning the lessons of life and making the confusing connections between commons sense and poor judgment. He rationalizes the reasons we should embrace love and forgive people. The crucial decisions he made as a child and an adult now allow him to complete his circle of life. Survival of the Heart Tragedy of the Mind is an intimate portrayal of a very emotional boy who develops into a mentally quick and capable man. His often hopeful approach to overcoming human miseries is highlighted by his failures as well as his victories. From his youthful days to his elderly years, he suffered from a congenital heart abnormality and eventually developed post-traumatic stress disorder. His lifelong search for the answers to human love, spiritual happiness, and the true meaning of human life eventually leads him to some remarkable solutions with noteworthy conclusions.

Dying at the Margins: Reflections on Justice and Healing for Inner-City Poor gives voice to the most vulnerable and disempowered population-the urban dying poor- and connects them to the voices of leaders in end-of-life-care. Chapters written by these experts in the field discuss the issues that challenge patients and their loved ones, as well as offering insights into how to improve the quality of their lives. In an illuminating and timely follow up to Dancing with Broken Bones, all discussions revolve around the actual experiences of the patients previously documented, encouraging a greater understanding about the needs of the dying poor, advocating for them, and developing best practices in caring. Demystifying stereotypes that surround poverty, Moller illuminates how faith, remarkable optimism, and an unassailable spirit provide strength and courage to the dying poor.Dying at the Margins serves as a rallying call for not only end-of-life professionals, but compassionate individuals everywhere, to understand and respond to the needs of the especially vulnerable, yet inspiring, people who comprise the world of the inner city dying poor.