Julie McFadden, who is known on social media as ‘Hospice Nurse Julie’, said many people who are on their deathbed regret not appreciating their health enough during their life
A nurse who works in a hospice has revealed the most common regret dying patients have.
Julie McFadden said she has seen “hundreds” of people pass away – and while many express regret over dedicating too much time to work, there’s another sentiment that is more frequently voiced but less often discussed. Speaking to podcaster Rob Moore, Julie said: “The main thing people say, that I don’t hear a lot of people mention, is ‘I wish I would have appreciated my health’.”
The health worker, known as “Hospice Nurse Julie” on social media, also shared her nightly practice of writing a “gratitude list” often including her ability to see and walk among the things she is thankful for. She said: “I like the fact that I can breathe, I’m walking around, I can feel the sunshine – little things like that.
“I think the biggest thing I hear from people [who are] dying is that they wish they would have appreciated how well they felt before.” Having worked as an Intensive Care Unit nurse for eight years before transitioning to hospice care, Julie has penned a book about the process of dying, advocating for better preparation, Surrey Live reports.
She added: “I believe that people should know about the dying process before they’re actually going through it with a loved one or themselves.” Julie, who is from the US, said many people take their health for granted – and admitted she does it too.
However, she said her job allows her to appreciate the intricate workings of our bodies and how they are biologically designed to eventually cease functioning. She emphasised death is a natural process that should not be feared, but criticised the fact that since hospice care is not free in the US, many people receive end-of-life care at home. “Generally speaking it helps to have money to die well which I think is really unfortunate,” the nurse said.
Julie said this often places a significant burden on family members who may not be equipped to provide round-the-clock care. She continued: “The people who have to take care of you while you’re dying at home – which is 24 hour a day care – are is your family. But guess what– no one’s paying you to do that.
“If you’re working class and you just make enough money to survive here, you don’t make enough money to stop working and take care of a dying loved one. So you have to pay someone to do that, and that’s really really expensive.
“Only people with pretty extreme wealth can do that, which I think is really unfortunate. So I don’t think money does make you happy, but it helps it certainly takes stress off of the situation.”