A California hospice nurse is turning heads on social media for "demystifying death in order to live life more fully." Julie McFaddon, known as @HospiceNurseJulie, has gained a large following on TikTok and YouTube, where she guides viewers through the last stages of life before they face death, either of a loved one or themselves.
From popular reels entitled "The Rally" (when a person close to death experiences a short burst of energy lasting several hours or even several days) to "A Day in the Life of a Hospice Nurse," McFaddon educates and enlightens in a candid, respectful, and yet still a light-hearted manner. She's also the author of the New York Times bestselling book Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully.
While McFaddon expresses beliefs in "something greater" than the natural world, she does not appear to ascribe to any one specific ideology or set of religious beliefs. But even as a practicing Catholic, where my faith makes it clear that human life is sacred from the point of conception until natural death, I have found that there is a lot to glean from McFaddon's wisdom -- specifically, her thoughts on cultivating gratitude.
She was recently featured on Rob Moore's Disruptor's podcast, in which she spoke about the most common deathbed regret she hears patients express all the time: "I wish I had been more grateful for my physical health when I had it."
McFaddon, a recovering alcoholic who regularly promotes the 12-Step Program Alcoholics Anonymous, says that these experiences have shaped her own life profoundly; that when she writes out her nightly gratitude list (a common practice for those in 12-Step Programs), she has expanded it dramatically since becoming a hospice nurse.
“I like the fact that I can breathe." She shared some of the things she's written recently. "I like the fact that I’m walking around; that I can feel the sunshine — little things like that.”
As a fellow participant in the 12-Step Program Al Anon (a non-profit group that exists to support the needs of those who have loved ones affected by alcohol and drug addiction), I have found that McFaddon's insight has helped me to "up my game" with my own nightly gratitude list as well.
It's a practice I only recently adopted but one that has been life-changing in countless ways -- from battling insomnia to healing strained relationships to simply having a more peaceful frame of mind.
When I write out my 20-point gratitude list each night before bed, I "dethrone" the dysfunction that has been brought into my life because of having loved ones who struggle with addiction. The practice forces me to break free from the tunnel vision of pain and isolation that was once unbearable.
The simple practice of writing out a daily gratitude list helps me focus on all the awesome gifts in my life, like my children, my friends, and my faith. Since being influenced by Nurse Julie, however, my list keeps growing longer and longer each day and it always includes giving thanks for the many gifts associated with having a healthy body -- the ability to run each morning; to care for myself and others; and to play sports with my kids.
