In this episode of "Death And," undertaker and mortician Victor M. Sweeney is joined by physician and writer, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi. The conversation centers around Lucy Kalanithi's experience as a widow to Dr. Paul Kalanithi, author of When Breath Becomes Air, and what it was like to help bring his memoir to life during his final days. Together, they reflect on caring for a loved one at the end of life, parenting through loss, and the delicate balance between honoring someone’s memory while not turning them into a myth. Lucy Kalanithi shares insights on grief, raising her daughter without Paul, and how the realities of death can sit side by side with moments of humor and celebration. The episode also touches on topics like the practicalities of funerals, the importance of talking openly about those we’ve lost, and how love and presence can endure in unexpected ways. https://lucykalanithi.com https://www.powells.com/book/when-breath-becomes-air-9780812988406?condition=Used%20-%20Good https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/lucy-kalanithi https://www.instagram.com/lucygoddard970 https://x.com/rocketgirlmd http://deathandpodcast.com http://youtube.com/@victormsweeney http://instagram.com/victor.m.sweeney http://tiktok.com/@victormsweeney http://x.com/victormsweeney http://simonandschuster.com/books/Now-Departing/Victor-M-Sweeney/9781668062111 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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