A Good Death: A Couple's Journey by Laura Schmidt and Joe Pizzarello

ABC-TV's Nightline introduced millions of viewers to Laura, her husband, Joe, and her health care team when covering the Terri Schiavo story in 2003. The viewer response was so strong, it produced a second program on Laura and Joe's guidelines for dying "a good death." The authors want American families and health care providers to begin a dialog about death and dying issues and have individuals reclaim responsibility for their end-of-life decisions.

Laura Schmidt was a 51-year-old medical writer and hospice volunteer pursuing a master's in the study of death and dying when she was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Laura had very strong opinions about improving how people die in our present society. She began writing this book to share her expertise with other patients, their families, and health care providers. Laura and Joe are proponents of patient's rights, health care power of attorney, and changes in health care. After her death, Joe added his story and guidelines for caregivers. Together they empower others to make wise decisions, document them, and discuss them with family members in order to achieve "a good death."

"I have seen a few 'good deaths.' But more often, I have been appalled by the many 'bad deaths'in our society—those where key issues such as inadequate pain management, ignored patient wishes, loneliness and isolation have dictated a dying patient's final days and minutes...death is no longer seen as a 'beautiful ritual'." Laura

About the Authors

Laura worked as a freelance medical writer in the Washington, DC region for 25 years. She learned everything she could about the mechanics of health care. Part of her "training" included being editor of The Counselor magazine, as a cancer information specialist for the National Cancer Institute, volunteering at a local hospice, and getting a Master of Arts in Thanatology degree on the study of death and dying. Little did she know that all these efforts were only practice for her future work--as a dying patient.

Joe Pizzarello has lived and worked in the Washington, DC area for 35 years as an accounting manager. He and Laura had been married 15 years when she was diagnosed with one of the most lethal forms of cancer, pancreatic. Joe was an active partner in her decisions, strongly supported her efforts to leave a legacy, and offered her care 24/7. Because of Joe's extensive experience and caring nature, he now serves as a mentor to another husband-caregiver going through a similar experience for the hospice where Laura once volunteered. To contact Joe go to www.agooddeath-book.com.

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ISBN: 0-9631033-9-3

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