VSED - Get a Doula

This week, I attended a webinar by Seattle death doula Crystal Canon Flores. She explained how her practice, The Grateful Death, supports patients who VSED. I have spoken to Crystal before. But this webinar impressed me with how many details she has worked addressed through greater experience with VSED.

For example, how long until the otherwise not terminally ill patient can be admitted to hospice? For two hospices with which Crystal works, the answer is 24 to 48 hours after starting VSED. 

For example, what if the patient, getting delirious by day 5, requests water? Crystal will remind the patient of their plan with an Intention Document and Video. She will intensify comfort measures like using a frozen teething ring. Only if the requests persist after all this will Crystal give the patient water.

Notably every patient who started VSED with TGD completed VSED. There is so much expert planning in advance - to prepare the patient's body, to prepare the patient's family, and more. There is real-time support during the eight to twelve days of VSED. This is way beyond what hospices do. So, it seems very prudent to engage an experienced death doula if you are considering VSED.

To find a death doula near you, consult  

• International End-of-Life Doula Association (INELDA)
• National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA)

Crystal Canon Flores