Death: the podcast

When his beloved grandfather suddenly died of a heart attack, Stephen Sontheimer, the young heir apparent to the Tharp Sontheimer Funeral Home, was excluded from the rituals associated with the end of his grandfather s life. Eager to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers, Stephen was not deterred from learning the family business and familiarizing himself with death. Since 1962, Stephen has continued the family legacy by helping to enhance the traditional rituals for families across the greater New Orleans area. "The good things get better and the bad things sort of drift away." Join Arian and Stephen as they explore this and other observations from the funeral parlor in this episode of Death The Podcast.

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It s one thing to be recognized as an artist, a yoga instructor, and a successful copywriter, but being a brain cancer survivor takes life to a new level. Beverly Morris is a survivor. She has had three surgeries, four years of chemotherapy, and a lifetime dose of radiation. What she takes away from all of this is a great appreciation of life, and the discipline to say "no" a whole lot more. In this edition of Death the podcast, Arian and Beverly discuss some of the lessons learned from a long journey of treatment, facing death, and living life with an inoperable tumor. Beverly opens up about everything she s been through, learned, and continues to learn from how precious basic life tasks are, to the rewards of supporting others with their own difficult prognosis. Even after a number of ambulance rides to the hospital and various methods of treatment Beverly wouldn t give up this experience. Yes, Beverly does indeed have a lot on her mind.

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Twenty nine year old, Jake Densen s life was like that of any other Los Angeles twenty something a blossoming career in the television industry, great friends, and a supportive family. All of that was suddenly put to the test when, in March of 2015, an unusual skin rash led to a diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML. In just two weeks, Jake s life went from the carefree enjoyment of cheeseburgers and LA beaches to doctors appointments, chemotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant. How did this vibrant young man cope with the unimaginable And, what about having a life threatening illness makes us grateful Join Arian as she traverses one man s journey back to life.

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Most of us will eventually reach a point where medical intervention is outmatched by advanced age, illness, or both. It is at this point where meaningful conversations between physicians, patients and their families are crucial. Why then do medical schools and residencies offer their trainees little to no formal guidance on how to facilitate end of life conversations What steps should we all consider taking now to make our end of life wishes clear to our family and loved ones What legislative changes are taking place to ensure that our wishes are carried through Board certified in internal medicine, geriatrics, and hospice and palliative care, Dr. Susan Nelson is making real change in helping patients and their families at end of life. Join Arian as she and Dr. Nelson explore the collaborative challenges physicians, patients, and their loved ones face when death is imminent. Helpful links LaPOST website http www.La POST.org or http www.LHCQF.org LaPOST http www.palliativedoctors.org Hospice and Palliative Medicine professional organization http www.AAHPM.org Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops https www.lhcqf.org page flip The Final Journey Deborah Grassman s book Peace at Last http www.opuspeace.org Atul Gawande s book Being Mortal http www.atulgawande.com book being mortal

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Allison Durant s mother died on the heels of her high school graduation. For years before, Jane had been absent from Allison s life, mostly in hospitals, fighting a losing battle with lung cancer. Allison s teenage invincibility gave her the strength to brush her mother s death aside and throw herself wholeheartedly into her own hectic life. Soon enough Allison was married and had 3 kids. It wasn t until Allison s own children entered adolescence that she was able to stare her mother s death in the face and admit it was one of the defining moments of her life. Coming to terms with alcohol abuse and finding expression for her buried grief, led Allison to form a New Orleans chapter of a national organization called Motherless Daughters. Motherless Daughters has helped Allison deal with her mother s death, and is helping other women of all ages deal with theirs. When Allison agreed to sit down and talk with Arian about Motherless Daughters for Death the podcast, it coincided with the first time her mother s death was not the largest loss she was facing. This edition of Death the podcast traces a full circle. Of life and death.

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In 2001, David Hlavsa and his wife, Lisa Holtby, lost their first son, James, at 20 weeks gestation. In 2007, this loss inspired David s first essay, "My First Son, A Pure Memory," which was featured in the "Modern Love" column of the The New York Times. He later penned the critically acclaimed memoir, "Walking Distance Pilgrimage, Parenthood, Grief, and Home Repairs," which chronicles David and Lisa s journey through the Camino de Santiago, infertility, losing James, and, in 2002, the arrival of the couples second son, Benjamin. With no rituals for bereavement, how do parents honor the loss of unborn children How did one marriage thrive in the face of a loss that divides most Arian explores these questions and more in this compelling interview with award winning author, teacher, actor, and director David Hlavsa. Family photo taken by Brand New Soul Photography

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Growing up on the family rhubarb and pumpkin farm, Shannon Ritscher s life was like that of most small town teenagers. In 1986, all that changed when Shannon s brother, Steve, killed himself. Devastated by the loss of his son, four years later, Shannon s father David, also took his own life. Despite these set backs, Shannon found a way to move forward. She earned an art degree, married, became a mother, and started the eco friendly, handmade accessory company, Greenbelts. In 2010, Shannon s world was once again shaken when her beloved friend and confidant committed suicide. How is grief different when multiple loved ones die by suicide Join Arian as she explores the resilient heart of Shannon Ritscher. Check out Shannon s work at https www.etsy.com shop Greenbelts

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Co founders Mark Brewer, Mike Walas and Brandon Patty were on a mission to create an eco friendly way of honoring the dead. After years of working with leading soil scientists and arborists, The Living Urn was born. With its biodegradable planting systems now available online and in over 250 Funeral Homes nationwide, The Living Urn is transforming the death care industry, one memorial tree at a time. Join Arian s conversation with Mark Brewer to learn more about how this dynamic company is creating life after death. https www.thelivingurn.com

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When Annie Garretson and Sally Rothstein met, they never imagined their friendship and love of music would find them at the bedside of those at life s precipice. The Pikes Peak Threshold Singers aren t just any choir. They are a group who share the final moments of strangers, community members, and, even their loved ones lives, with soft, gentle messages of peace and grace. Listen in as Arian explores with Sally and Annie the gift exchange of song to the living and dying. To find out more about Threshold Choir, visit https thresholdchoir.org Photos provided by both Venus Maher and Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care.

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Pamela Skjolsvik never dreamed that a misrouted phone call would change the course of her master s thesis and, ultimately, her life. When the call, originally intended for her graduate advisor, was mysteriously redirected to a funeral home, a seed was planted. That seed grew into the now critically acclaimed book, "Death Becomes Us." What if we could schedule our own death How does a person cope with his or her impending execution What is the loneliest kind of grief Join Pamela and Arian as they delve into the transformative power of death.

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