The first thing you notice about this book is how beautiful it is; it’s a gorgeous hardback with an appealing design. And it’s not just the book production that makes this an exceptional book; it’s also the insightful content written to help others when caring for people at the end of their lives.
Sue Marsden works in palliative care and meeting Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross introduced her to the importance of being aware of her own emotional issues when caring for terminally ill people. Thank You, Elisabeth is an insightful and beautifully written account of Sue and some of the many people she has cared for. There are people from all walks of life, and Sue honestly shares her own journey of self-awareness while caring for those in palliative care.
You could come to a book like this and feel it’s going to be too grim, depressing, or upsetting to read, but the stories are brief and sensitively written. After reading, I was grateful that people like Sue are there to help people to die with dignity, with their families by their side.
Thank You, Elisabeth would be invaluable for anyone who works in palliative care to read, as it really shows the importance of being self-aware of your own emotional issues and caring for yourself to be able to care for others. But it’s also an insightful read for any lay person, a glimpse of what it might be like for your own end-of-life experience and what you might expect.
Thank You, Elisabeth is a very special book, written with extensive knowledge and great care.
Reviewer: Karen McMillan
Mary Egan Publishing