RestSure.

RestSure. Shylene & Susan bring a fresh and personal perspective to death, dying and the dead. RestSure is an I saw this through family, friends, and colleges. Now.

Shylene Schlackl & Susan Blackwood have teamed up to build this comprehensive understanding of what we all need to know about the end of life here in British Columbia. Working together over the past couple of years they have become a great team, ready to support our community. Working as a team and separately in their own fields, Susan and Shylene bring a unique cross of wisdom and play to this field of service. Over the past years, these two have developed various 'prescriptions" for rest and sureness at the end of life. The Eight Areas of Transition: a rest assurance plan
1) Living Life - what does life truly mean to you?
2) People - key people and the impact your death will have on them.
3) Belief - your thoughts on death, dying, and the dead
4) Grief - a normal part of living and empowers you when honoured
5) Transition - document, clarify and discuss your Exit strategy
6) Last Honours - help. you organize and think about your funeral
7) Legacy/Ancestry- contemplation on what you are leaving behind
8) Material Life - your physical presence, possessions and such

it was only a few years ago i (Shylene) began to notice people are not coping well with deaths. Through my work in the community and my very large family, I knew I wanted to begin this conversation, begin learning about this area of life. I am slowing learning, exploring, and researching death, practices, and cultural traditions, rituals, and ceremonies. I am reading and creating documents to help support my circles of people. Planning to create the Rest-Assured package, to guide, support, and deepen our relationship to each other, our lives, and our deaths. I am looking forward to using this page to help me collect and share more about the materials and resources becoming widely available online. Together, we are co-creating awareness, acceptance, and a bit of magic around this once very dark and often neglected part of being human. blessed be!

Do come check out our locals shelves!
08/26/2025

Do come check out our locals shelves!

https://karenwyattmd.substack.com/p/what-death-doulas-offer-at-the-end our network is built with groups like Deathwalker...
08/19/2025

https://karenwyattmd.substack.com/p/what-death-doulas-offer-at-the-end

our network is built with groups like Deathwalker Creations and CircleSpace, Karla Kerr - Empowered End of Life, and Jilly Hyndman CPCC PCC the heartrageous coach, and RestSure. we have many versions available to us, to the community, to support and be present in these time of change.

Changing how we navigate death, dying and the dead.

So very thankful.

And why you need to know about their work

08/19/2025
08/12/2025

Let us continue to expand how we think about death and EOL choice.
Growing how we do this is inspiring!

we can do death different!

Send a message to learn more

Wow!
07/16/2025

Wow!

We’ve been following this artist, this edge walker, truth sayer & epic human for years, Just listened to reel of theirs ...
07/15/2025

We’ve been following this artist, this edge walker, truth sayer & epic human for years,
Just listened to reel of theirs today before learning they died yesterday!

They died.
“Heart full of stretch marks”

“Whenever I leave this world, whether it’s sixty years from now, I wouldn’t want anyone to say I lost some battle. I’ll be a winner that day.” – Andrea Gibson

Andrea Gibson was a winner today. On July 14th, at 4:16AM, Andrea Gibson died in their home surrounded by their wife, Meg, four ex-girlfriends, their mother and father, dozens of friends, and their three beloved dogs.

Poet Laureate of Colorado, world-touring spoken word artist, author of seven books, Calais Maine High School State Basketball Champion, and subject of the award-winning documentary, “Come See Me in the Good Light”, and so much more — Andrea Gibson accomplished much on their 49 years on this planet. Though Andrea desperately wished to have lived a longer life, they could not have possibly lived a fuller one.

Since learning they had cancer in 2021, Andrea has been a champion of finding beauty in unlikely places and gratitude in the hardest hours. Over the last four years, they danced with their diagnosis, and continually aimed their internal compass toward joy. One of the last things Andrea said on this plane was, “I fu***ng loved my life.”

Not long ago, Andrea wrote a poem titled “Love Letter From the Afterlife.” In it, they offered this line: “I am more here than I ever was before. I am more with you than I ever could have imagined.” Today, and all days forward, we hope you feel Andrea’s enormous spirit and immense presence beside you.

Meg and Heather, the authors of this post, have absolutely no idea how to encapsulate the magnitude and magnificence of a life like Andrea Gibson’s, so they intend to keep writing, to keep telling Andrea’s story, to keep Andrea alive in every way they can.

Andrea would want you to know that they got their wish. In the end, their heart was covered in stretch marks.

Andrea Gibson 8/13/75 - 7/14/25

Fortunate to have spaces like these.Grateful for those doing the front lines work on this epic shift in how we see choic...
04/28/2025

Fortunate to have spaces like these.
Grateful for those doing the front lines work on this epic shift in how we see choice & end of life.

As of this month, MAiDHouse Victoria has officially opened to support individuals seeking medical assistance in dying ( ) on , . In alignment with the core principles of dignity, choice, and compassionate care, this location in Victoria, BC reflects the unique spirit of the region—collaborative and community-driven.

Developed in partnership with Island Health and local community advocates, MAiDHouse Victoria is the result of a group of passionate individuals who recognized an access gap for community-based space for the day of provision. MAiDHouse Victoria fills a critical gap, providing a warm, welcoming environment for individuals and families. This initiative has been met with overwhelming support within the community, recognizing the need for local accessible, inclusive, and person-centered . The space ensures that those seeking MAiD have a safe and supportive setting, free of barriers and with additional supports, where they can be surrounded by loved ones in their final moments.

By establishing MAiDHouse Victoria, we reaffirm the belief that everyone deserves compassionate and dignified end-of-life choices. Learn more at https://www.maidhouse.ca/maidhouse-victoria

These are beautiful!
03/15/2025

These are beautiful!

03/01/2025

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in an Australian country town, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, They found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Melbourne. The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas editions of magazines around the country and appearing in mags for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within. We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM!
The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched. They must be felt by the heart!

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Victoria, BC
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Our Story

Susan Blackwood & Shylene Schlackl have teamed up to build this comprehensive understanding of what we all need to know about end of life here in British Columbia. Working together over the past couple of years they have become a great team, ready to support our community. Working as a team and separately in their own fields, Susan and Shylene bring a unique cross of wisdom and play to this field of service. Over the past years these two have developed various 'prescriptions" for rest and sureness in end of life. The Eight areas of Transition: a rest sure plan 1) Beliefs -(W5 of You) 2)People (Feelings too) 3) Living Life 4) Material Life 5) Transitional 6) Its Your Funeral 7) After Death 8) Grieving It was only a few years ago i (Shylene) began to notice people are not coping well with deaths. I saw this through family, friends and colleges. Through my work in community and my very large family I knew I wanted to begin this conversation, begin learning about this area of life. Now .. I am slowing learning, exploring and researching death, practices and cultural traditions, rituals and ceremony. I am reading and creating documents to help support my circles of people. Planning to create the Rest-Assured package, to guide, support and deepen our relationship to each other, our lives and our deaths. I am looking forward to using this page to help me collect and share more about the materials and resources becoming widely available online. Together, we are co-creating awareness, acceptance and a bit of magic around this once very dark and often neglected part of being human. blessed be!