The Days Still Left

Nina McIntosh was the author of The Educated Heart, the first ethics book specifically in the area of roles and boundaries for massage therapists and bodyworkers. Her diagnosis of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and her death 15 months later was chronicled through her journal on the CaringBridge website. Her dignity and her ability to maintain her sense of humor while she was dying serve as a testimony to the human spirit. Nina did what we should all do...got her affairs in order, spent precious time with friends and family enjoying herself as much as she could, and faced her circumstances with acceptance and grace. When anger and fear rattled her, she griped about it a little, and then shook it off and kept laughing as much as possible. This book evolved from being just about Nina to being about the act of dying. We're all going to do it. We should all be so lucky to live and love and laugh as fully as she did as long as we can. The thousands of massage therapists and bodyworkers who knew Nina, or who read her book or her regular column in Massage & Bodywork Magazine, know how many lives she touched. To those who didn't know her, you'll wish you had This book is full of inspirational and funny observations about death, and practical advice for preparing for your own departure. To anyone who has lost someone dear to them, or who is dealing with terminal illness of your own, or of a loved one, Nina's story will have you laughing through your tears.

Laura Allen is a massage therapist, author, educator, and blogger. She is the author of Plain & Simple Guide to Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork Examinations (2nd ed), One Year to a Successful Massage Therapy Practice, and A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Business, all published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. She is also the author of Manual for Massage Therapy Educators (Allen&Hoyme Publishing, 2012), and Nothin’ Fancy: Good Food and a Few Funny Stories, based on the experience of cooking for the public for more than 20 years before switching careers. Allen’s blog on the politics of the massage profession appears on her own website at www.LauraAllenMT.com, and also on the websites of Massage Magazine and Massage Today. Her blog on professional ethics appears on MassageCoaches.com. Allen teaches classes in practice marketing and in professional ethics all over the US and in the UK. She is the owner of a wellness clinic, along with her husband Champ, also a massage therapist. They live and work in Western North Carolina.