Stories That Inspire Us / The Author Series with Yvonne Caputo - 10.04.22

Stories That Inspire Us / The Author Series, welcomed to today’s podcast, Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Yvonne Caputo.  Yvonne is the Author of the book:  Dying with Dad / Tough Talks for Easier Endings.  She is also the Author of the book:  Flying with Dad (this book about her Dad’s experiences as a combat navigator of B24 bombers in the years leading up to World War II.)

While working in a retirement community, Yvonne learns about the Five WishesⓇ, a registered trademark of Aging with Dignity, is a practical tool that acts as a guide for important conversations with family and doctors about how you want to be treated if you or a loved one become seriously ill.  (Five Wishes is currently accepted in 42 states; check with a local attorney in your area for further questions and appropriate guidelines per the State where you live.)  This can be implemented as your loved one’s legal document that expresses their end-of-life wishes beyond an advance directive.  She decided to broach this difficult subject with her Dad, whom she had grown closer with while writing her first book, Flying with Dad.)

Dying with Dad inspires us to think about those meaningful discussions for when we or our loved ones are aging or preparing for death.  Discussions about death and grief, but also about crossing the finish line joyfully and triumphantly.  (Yvonne shared her very raw and intimate details of the day her Dad passed away and what it meant for her to be able to triumphantly know that her Dad went the way he wanted to.  As sad as it was for her to lose her Dad, she was left with a sense of peace!)

These are the types of discussions that we tend to fear; that we tend to not want to have and honestly want no part of.  Yet, it can be the most beautiful and poignant discussion you could have with your loved one.

To connect with Yvonne further, please check out her author page through Ingenium Books where you can purchase her books:

https://ingeniumbooks.com/yvonne-caputo/

You can also email Yvonne at:

Yvonne@yvonnecaputo.com

To learn more about the Five WishesⓇ, go to their website:

www.fivewishes.org

Are you or someone that you know going through a similar experience with your loved ones?  What will the outcome of discussing such a dark subject be?  We don’t really know what the outcome will be and that’s why it’s that important to have that conversation, as frightening as we think it may be!  Let your wishes be known!!

Let me know what you thought of today’s episode.  Also, do you have a story you want to share?  If you are interested in sharing your story, please go to my website and “register as a guest”.

https://www.podpage.com/stories-that-inspire-us/

Thank you Yvonne for writing such an amazing book!  As Paul Malley, President of Aging with Dignity wrote “. . . a gift of care for those we love the most” and what better gift to give as these “Truly” are the  Stories That Inspires Us!!