Going Viral Over Death and Dying

The topic of end-of-life transitioning comes to life when talking to hospice nurse Julie McFadden for, in her words, she loves her work.  Talking to her, it's easy to understand why her TikTok video went viral and how she now has over 1 million followers. Julie is so enthusiastic that it's easy to understand how people who come to her with the fear of death make the transition with graceful acceptance.

You can listen to the audio here, or subscribe to read the transcript below.

The Final Journey – Julie McFadden

NOTE: I am currently embarking on a new series featuring healing stories from those who have benefitted from psychedelics at the end of life, or in the face of a terminal diagnosis. I hope to interview those with direct personal experience, as well as relatives, friends, and clinicians with stories to share. Please email my producer if you would like to be interviewed on my program, and featured in a future book on this topic.

Wishing you Golden Light,

Dr. Richard Louis Miller

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Further Reading:

• Psychedelic Wisdom

• Psychedelic Medicine

• Follow Hospice Nurse Julie on TikTok

Transcript

Richard Louis Miller: Welcome to Mind Body Health & Politics. I'm your host, Dr. Richard Louis Miller. 

The mission of Mind Body Health & Politics is to enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing and encourage community. When I say encourage community, what I mean is I believe that human beings are friendly, tribal animals. We like to cooperate and collaborate. 

At the very same time, we must be ever mindful of the fact that there are a small percentage of human beings who are avaricious, greedy, dominating predators. These people would have us go back to pre-American revolution and be subjects instead of citizens. These people are the tyrants and the dictators of the world and we must not allow our country to go back to that kind of political system again. In the words of my hero, Thomas Jefferson, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty."

Today on Mind Body Health & Politics, we have an esteemed guest, Julie McFadden, a hospice nurse who has been doing some remarkable things in the area of end-of-life treatment. 

Welcome to Mind Body Health & Politics, Julie.

Julie McFadden: Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here. 

What caused Julie to move from ICU to hospice?

Richard Louis Miller: Julie, you entered nursing as an intensive care nurse, and then you went into hospice work. What caused you to move from ICU to hospice?

Julie McFadden: I started out nursing never even thinking about hospice; it was never on my radar. But the more I was in the ICU trying to keep people alive, the more I could see that there was a missing link in our society with end-of-life care and discussing what's really happening with this dying or already dead person being kept alive in the ICU. 

"Man, we need to do this a different way. I can't keep doing this day in and day out." It was really taxing on me, and I just wanted to be a part of something different. That's what got me thinking about hospice work.

I eventually just jumped ship and applied for a job that actually said, "Must have hospice experience." I didn't, but I just thought, "I'm going to try it." I got the job and here I am, many years later, working in hospice.