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| Bay Window : With Eyes Open: Episode Descriptions |
"Grief and Healing" (Sunday, September 10 at 10:30 p.m., check local listings) is a conversation about loss, grief and healing facilitated by the founder of the San Francisco Zen Hospice Project, Frank Ostaseski. The program asks viewers what they fear about death, how they imagine their last moments, how they will say good-bye and how illness can be a transformative experience. Individuals like Paul, who is battling Hepatitus C, and Cathy, who lost her husband suddenly two years ago, discuss their experiences with grief and death, and coping with the fear of physical pain, loss of control, dependency, social isolation and anger. The episode ends with a ritual as the individuals convey a written message to those that they love, throwing their final words into a fire and watching as the embers rise.
"Difficult Decisions" (Monday, September 11 at 10:30 p.m., check local listings) looks at the importance of talking about what we want at the end of life with our loved ones. What would happen if you had a major stroke, were confined to an intensive care unit and could not speak for yourself? Would your family know your wishes? Host Ray Suarez sparks a discussion with members of two families who have been confronted by this scenario, the Suens and the Bermanns. Both families were recently faced with making life decisions for their loved ones—the Bermanns had the discussion, the Suens did not. Suarez and the families are joined by doctors and educators—Dr. Steven Pantilat of the University of California at San Francisco, Kathy Glasmire of Sacramento Health Decisions and Dr. LaVera Crawley of the Stanford University Bioethics Department—who help translate the Suens' and the Bermanns' experiences into universal situations we can all discuss with our loved ones.
"Caregiving" (Tuesday, September 12 at 10:30 p.m., check local listings) looks at the challenges and rewards of caregiving. Every day, some 25 million Americans provide care for someone they love who is sick or frail, ranging from taking care of an aging mother to helping a dying spouse get dressed, bathe and eat. These caregivers are not paid and don't know where to turn for advice or assistance. Suarez speaks with a group of real-life experts—people who have personal experiences with caring for a sick or dying loved one. Suarez is also joined by Beth Witrogen McLeod, author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book Caregiving: The Spiritual Journey of Love, Loss and Renewal and Celi Adams, founder of Home Care Companions, an agency which provides a free training program for families and friends struggling to provide the best home care possible.
"Beyond Life, Beyond Death" (Wednesday, September 13 at 10:30 p.m., check local listings) asks where do we go when we die and is there a connection to our earthly lives? According to a Time poll, 81 percent of Americans believe in Heaven, when it is defined as the place "where people live forever with God after they die;" 94 percent believe in God or some higher power; and 79 percent believe in a Judgement Day. Host Ray Suarez interviews Buddhist scholar and inspirational speaker Robert Thurman, as well as teacher and author Rabbi David Wolpe. Their conversations span a range of concepts involving our own mortality, from Buddhism's ideas of the "between," judgement and reincarnation; the old Jewish tale of two twins in the womb; and Christian imagery and beliefs. Both guests encourage viewers to ponder an afterlife where the mystery of death and the mystery of a "higher power" intersect.
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