Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-310) and index

Time and anxiety -- Bad news -- Physical pain -- Being touched, being in touch -- Life review -- Speaking the truth -- Longing to belong -- Self-realization: who am I -- Transcendence

Facing death, and the fear and anxiety that arise from it, is part of the human experience. Though much has been done to address the physical pain suffered by those with terminal illness, Western medicine has been slow to understand and alleviate the psychological and spiritual distress that comes with the knowledge of death. In What Dying People Want, Dr. Kuhl begins to bridge that gap. He does so by addressing end-of-life realities-physical, psychological, and spiritual-through his own experiences as a doctor and through the words and experiences of people who live with the knowledge that they are dying. Dr. Kuhl presents ways of finding new life in the process of dying, of understanding the inner reality of living with terminal illness, and of addressing the fear of pains, as well as pain itself. We can learn lessons in living from those who are dying, and it is possible to find meaning and peace in the face of death