Continuing and emerging bonds: Working through grief as a daughter and an academic

Kathryn gives an account of her dad's death, her relationship with him, her family and her grief. Her dad died aged 89, having spent his last weeks in hospital. After his death, Kathryn felt stuck in her grief. Despite problematising aspects of end-of -life care policy in her work (such as dying at home being proxy for a good death), she was haunted by the fact that he died in hospital and that no family members were with him when he died. Amid distressing times, her dad's decline finally helped them to get close again. Writing about his death has been a way to honour his life and continue her relationship with him. Kathryn still feels him with her, continuing their relationship beyond death.