Ep.81 Dying Well and Making Death A Beautiful Experience with Tamala May ARNP

Jan 26 2024 • 38 mins

Ep.81

Dying Well and Making Death A Beautiful Experience with Tamala May ARNP

Facing the end of life is a deeply personal journey, and finding beauty in this inevitable part of our existence involves embracing the process and ensuring it is filled with meaning. At the end of life, hospice timely care is a crucial companion, offering support that goes beyond just medical attention. Hospice provides a space for you or your loved one to transition with comfort, dignity, and emotional well-being. Dying well is not just about the physical aspects; it's about making the most of the experience, cherishing moments, and connecting with loved ones. Making death a beautiful experience is about creating a comfortable and peaceful environment for reflection, reconciliation, and solace. It is a reminder that even in the face of mortality, there is an opportunity to shape a narrative that reflects the profound beauty of a life lived, and a farewell embraced with grace.

In this episode, we are joined by Tamala May, an Oncology Nurse practitioner, founder of Pursuing Christ Ministries, and author of Starting The Journey. From an early age, Tamala discovered her calling to become a nurse and began her journey at the age of 16 as a nursing assistant. She continued pursuing her passion after graduating from high school and obtaining her degree as a registered nurse. For over 8 years, she gained diverse experience in hospitals and clinics before transitioning to a ward and cancer center. Several years later, an exciting opportunity led her to serve as a home, health, and hospice nurse in North Dakota. Later, she furthered her education by earning a degree as a nursing practitioner.

In her initial work, she worked in family practice and oversaw oncology care in North Dakota, but later, she transitioned into a full-time oncology practitioner. Tamala's responsibilities span both clinic and hospital settings, where she works closely with patients facing end-stage disease, frequently facilitating their transition to hospice care. Navigating this delicate phase of life has fueled a genuine passion for approaching death with meaning and compassion.

Tune in!

Key Highlights from the Episode;

[00:01] Episode intro and a quick bio of the guest, Tamala May

[02:16] Meet Tamala and learn more about her backstory

[02:55] Tamala’s job as an oncology nurse and why it’s unique

[04:38] How Tamala works with different expertise and the palliative care team

[07:31] How Tamala navigates her oncology role in both the clinic and hospital set up

[08:46] The best way to bring up the end-of-life conversation with patients and families

[12:42] How patients at the end of life get ready for their death

[15:17] How to handle a family that doesn’t want to let their loved one know they’re dying

[16:40] Do not resuscitate and moving into comfort care discussions

[22:06] Tamala’s one message to help patients improve their hospice experience

[24:13] Dying well and making the most of our dying experience

[25:26] Examples of beautiful deaths Tamala has encountered

[29:13] The most profound end-of-life story that touched Tamala

[33:19] Tamala’s book and what inspired her to write it

[37:40] Ending show and calls to action

Notable Quotes

● Every patient is different, and you have to figure out where your patient is at on the spectrum of understanding their disease and prognosis when bringing up the end-of-life subject. [08:46]

● Death doesn’t wait until we are ready to die or can accept it; it’s going to come either way, and we need to help people get to the point of being comfortable with accepting death. [11:03]

● All of us need to think about dying well and how we want to spend those days and make the most of our dying experience; death is something all of us are going to experience. [24:58]

● Hospice can be one of the most beautiful things, but it’s so under-understood, and sometimes people miss being able to treasure that time because they are afraid of looking at death and death is going to come whether we want it or not. [37:15]