What Others Say
Praise for
FAREWELL
“Every human deserves dignity and peace in the final chapter of life. Written by a caring physician with experience in palliative care and deep knowledge of the dying process, Farewell is a must-read book that could help each of us personally and also benefit those caring for the terminally ill.”
-Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP
Cofounder, Chopra Center for Wellbeing
“Where do you go to learn how to make a positive difference when someone you know is dying? Death is shrouded in mystery. The fear of making things worse rather than better keeps many people at a distance when they want to make a meaningful connection. The authors of this excellent book, Farewell, demystify the dying process. You will take away information and insights so that you can be there when someone is dying.”
-Vicki Rackner, MD, FACS
Retired Surgeon and Clinical Instructor
University of Washington School of Medicine
Author of Caregiving without Regrets
“Dr. Creagan is a compassionate and experienced physician who offers patients and families not just information and knowledge, but, more importantly, a lifetime of wisdom. Skillfully written and full of personal anecdotes, Farewell is an essential guide to helping individuals make wise choices about living, and dying, well.”
-J. Keith Mansel, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director, Palliative and Supportive Care Services
University of Mississippi Medical Center
“Knowledge provides a calming power when dealing with end-of-life issues. Farewell respectfully and transparently provides every element individuals and families need to traverse the often complex and always emotional quagmire of death and dying. Farewell will guide, inform, and create a surreal peace for anyone going through the journey for themselves or someone they know. A few tears welled up reading how my brother’s passing could have been handled better had I had such a great book as Farewell as a ready resource.”
-Elaine C Pereira, MA, OTR/L, CDC, CDP
Certified Dementia Practitioner, Speaker,
and Caregiver
Author of award-winning book, I Will Never Forget—
A Daughter’s Story of Her Mother’s Arduous
and Humorous Journey through Dementia
“Dr. Ed Creagan has been a referring physician to the Seasons Hospice for more than twenty years. As well as being a very skilled doctor, his humor and wisdom are an asset to his patients. As Dr. Creagan states in his book Farewell, he has 'dedicated his life to death,' and the community of Rochester, Minnesota, is thankful for the advocacy he has provided on end-of-life care and the importance of normalizing death as a natural part of life.”
-Beverly Haynes, BSN, RN
Executive Director, Seasons Hospice
Praise for
How Not to Be My Patient
“This book is for everyone who decides to take charge of their own health and their own destiny.”
-Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN
"Informed, informative, impressively well written...especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader wanting to obtain the very best of medical care from their doctors and other healthcare providers. Essential reading for anyone suffering from chronic illness or serious injury."
-Midwest Book Review
"Forget the TV doctors (please!). Dr. Ed Creagan is the real deal, a superb physician who knows what it takes for people to live long and well. In this book, he generously shares his experience and wisdom with the rest of us. I, for one, am taking his guidance to heart, and I hope to outlive him!"
-Ira Byock, M.D., Professor, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, palliative care physician, and author of Dying Well and The Best Care Possible
“I have shared the podium with my good friend Dr. Ed. The two of us—a cancer doc and a veterinarian, an unlikely tag team—understand the amazing healing power of the animal-human connection and have devoted our careers to this bond. I am delighted that, finally, medical doctors embrace the importance of our companion animals as a key part of the pet prescription. Dr. Ed explains this connection and devotes nearly a full chapter to the power of the 'lab' results and 'cat' scan in modern medicine in his outstanding book about prevention and survival.”
-Dr. Marty Becker, Veterinary Correspondent for the American Humane Association, founding member of Core Team Oz for The Dr. Oz Show, best-selling author and advocate for the healing power of pets
“This book can make you feel better about yourself. It can help you feel empowered to take charge of your medical care and your health.”
-Robert Sheeler, M.D., Medical Editor, Mayo Clinic Health Letter/Special Report
"For decades Creagan has been an innovator and leader in the front lines of what is now fashionably called 'patient-centric' care. If you ask me, I say he invented it. The stories in this book will rivet you, Dr. Creagan's advice is practical and unforgettable. His voice is compassionate and immediately accessible. You should immediately depart the 'Land of Oz' or 'Planet Phil' and find this amazing book right here on earth. I give this book my absolute highest recommendation."
-John Hockenberry, veteran journalist ABC News, NBC News, PBS Frontline and host of the daily Public Radio Program The Takeaway from PRI and WNYC; author of the memoir Moving Violations: Warzones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence
"Dr. Creagan’s gracious advice and support were instrumental in developing A Time to Heal, our holistic rehabilitation program for cancer survivors. As a physician, Dr. Ed is top notch, but more importantly, he recognizes the human issues involved in health problems. His compassion and genuine care for people make it possible for him to address the whole person and not just the disease."
-Stephanie Koraleski, Ph.D., CEO, A Time to Heal
“I saw Dr. Creagan at Mayo Clinic for a life-threatening condition thirty years ago. We looked at my prognosis and prayed, and then we got busy surviving. Sometimes the best medicine—besides a battalion of medical care—is a doctor who is kind, gracious, and understanding. That’s Dr. Creagan. I think God for His help, but I also thank Dr. Creagan for helping me survive a scary diagnosis. He says I’m a miracle. And I am.”
-Candy Wood Lindley, author of Face of Faith: Discovering a Different Kind of Makeover