Blessings in Disguise With Andrew T. Shaw 

The impact of losing a loved one differs for each person. Death, with its brutal certainty, carries a mysterious beauty for some people. It may be a blessing in disguise sometimes. Though the blessings may be hard to see at first, embracing them allows us to cherish life and the memory of those we have lost. Acknowledging the pain, hurt, and loneliness that follows grief is essential because you are not alone in your journey.

 

Join this conversation with your host Marie Betcher as coach Andrew T. Shaw joins her. In 2019, just after Christmas, Andrew suffered the heartbreaking loss of his father. Amidst his grief, he continues to find solace in counting the blessings bestowed upon him during the final week in Hospice. Each person's end-of-life journey is unique, yet many powerful parallels exist. Andrew documented those experiences in a book, “Cheers, Dad," that can be found as an audiobook in Audible and also on Amazon. By sharing the blessings experienced in those last days and embracing their significance in this episode, Andrew will motivate you to discover strength and comfort to navigate this difficult period.

 

Tune in!

 

Key Highlights from the Episode;

[00:00] Introduction to the show and quick bio of the quest; Andrew T. Shaw

[03:13] Andrew’s backstory and what he does in his space to make the world better

[05:21] Name of Andrew’s book and how you can get your copy

[07:54] The six months of Andrew’s dad in hospice care

[08:46] The unmatched benefits of starting hospice care sooner

[10:11] How hospice helps one get rid of the fear of death

[12:52] Andrew’s double tragedy of an injured mum while dad was in hospice

[16:23] The availability of nurses in the six months of his dad’s hospice care 

[17:25] Things Andrew had to fix and adjust while going through hospice

[18:55] Experiences of his dad’s last week before passing on

[24:29] One of the greatest moments of communication he had with his dad

[27:33] The hard question to ask your loved one

[27:55] Wrap-up and end of the show

Notable Quotes 

●      It’s always a blessing when hospice is started earlier. [08:46]

●      Most people are never into the reality of death. Hospice aims to remove that fear and get you mentally ready. [10:11]

●      As hard as it can be, you must gain the courage to ask your loved one how they would want a celebration of their life well lived to look like. [27:35]

Resources Mentioned

1. Marie’s other podcast, Hospice Encounters: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hospice-encounters/id1622451693

 

1. Andrew’s Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/Cheers-Dad-Audiobook/B0BKR4JBPD

 

1. CHEERS, DAD: Blessings from his last week in Hospice by Andrew T. Shaw: https://amzn.to/3CBiTmd

Share An Encounter?

If you would like to share an encounter with hospice, please email me at [email protected]

 

Do you want to Support this podcast with a coffee? You can do so here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hospice.

 

Marie's Contact: [email protected] www.hospiceexplained.com http://buymeacoffee.com/hospice [email protected] Leave a Voicemail: 206-705-3080