The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

Content Warning: This section references death and dying, including descriptions of a healthcare system that at times fails patients as well as descriptions of ailments including cancer, liver disease, and Alzheimer’s. It also touches on topics such as eating disorders, suicide, abortion, emotional abuse, and homelessness.

Vlahos explains that hospice is a form of medical care that happens at the end of life when a patient has decided not to receive any more medical treatment except what will make them comfortable until they die. Dispelling the common assumption that working with dying people is universally depressing, Vlahos explains that the work is more beautiful than it is devastating because of the truths that both the dying person and their loved ones reveal in these pivotal moments. She states that she believes that something comes after this life.

Vlahos explains that she was raised faithfully Episcopalian but began to question her faith when a high-school friend died from what seemed like a minor football injury. She asked how God could let this happen, but adults were hesitant to answer, and she ultimately felt frustration with the church and confusion about her prior beliefs.