Deann Marsh, Life Story Songwriter, Portraits in Song, PortraitsinSong@gmail.com, May 2012
In Circling the Drain, Lenora Trussell, self-named "End-of-Life Tour Guide," shares highlights
of her journey as a hospice nurse, moving with compassionate frankness, profound simplicity, and holy humor.
She invites awareness of rhythms, cycles, and ironies, both individual and universal, enhanced by joining her reverently playful spiral dance with the "elephant in the room," mortality. Her visionary phrase, "All Drains Lead to the Ocean" may serve as an encouraging subtitle for this guide book treasure.
Mark Chimsky, publishing professional and editor of Creating a Life You'll Love, April 2012
"In Circling the Drain, Lenora Trussell writes with humor, heart, and humanity about a subject that we all-too-often shy away from -- dealing with our own mortality. The true stories in this book teach us invaluable lessons about how to see death as a natural part of life -- and how to embrace the truth of this fact with dignity and a few well-earned laughs. I am grateful to have had the chance to read this gem of a book."
Carolyn Gage, Playwright, Performer, Activist March 2012
About Lenora's newest publication,Circling the Drain, "compassionate, down-to-earth and healing... A user-friendly read, especially helpful for those with loved ones at the end of their lives."
Armstrong Advanced Dental Concepts February 2012
I have been asked to have the honor to write a recommendation letter for Lenora Trussell. Lenora has been coming to Armstrong Advanced Dental Concepts for over seven years once a month to give our entire staff chair massages. She has been dependable in that time and has provided much need service to everyone who works here.
She maintains a professional attitude while bringing humor and wisdom about health care matters that arise during the time she spends with each of us. Her presence increases morale on the days she visits. It is a special treat we all look forward to.
Even though she comes only once a month, her work may be influencing the fact that our personnel have not had any repetitive injuries during the time she has been with us. I would recommend her services for any office that is interested in the well being of the people who work there and as a special way to show them how much you appreciate them and their well being, physical and mental.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Robbyn T. Mooradian
Office Coordinator
207-892-8325
Dr. Max Jacobs, Adjunct Faculty, Psychology
University of Maine at Farmington
Fall 2011
Psy230 Death and Dying
Seeking an experienced nurse with a background in hospice care, I asked Ms. Trussell to visit my death and dying class at the University of Maine at Farmington. Our class meets once a week for over three hours and keeping fifty or more college students engaged on such a topic for this length of time is no small feat. Lenora did and outstanding job, both presenting valuable material and doing it with humor and wit. The students were engaged and I received many positive comments from them the following week, including a few students who were interested in pursuing training in hospice work.
I would most enthusiastically recommend Ms. Trussell for teaching in this field, and I will be asking her to visit our class again next year.
Re: End of Life presentation by Lenora Trussell
To Whom it May Concern:
On October 24th, Lenora Trussell provided an extremely well-received program entitled “Practical wisdom and nurturing humor for the terminal condition called life.” Following a light luncheon, 23 residents of two senior housing complexes (Larrabee Heights and Larrabee Woods in Westbrook, ME) were educated and entertained by Ms. Trussell. As President of the Heights Resident Council, I had arranged for this presentation.
From my perspective, I have never observed this size group of seniors listen as intently as they did to Lenora’s very openly and light-hearted discussion of such a serious topic as end of life issues. She allowed for many questions which gave added knowledge to the program. Many of those present purchased her book “Pain Smarts” and some asked her about presenting for other groups they belong to.
It has been over a week since this program was held and everyone I have talked to who was in attendance has commented on what a wonderful program it was, how much they enjoyed and valued the presentation. We are hopeful that a return visit can be arranged in the near future.
In short, I would highly recommend that you arrange to have Lenora Trussell speak to your group. I believe she has the ability to adjust to individual needs and circumstances, to make her presentation most effective.
I would be most willing to answer questions about this presentation. You may contact me at
cdhayhall @ maine.rr.com.
Carol Sue Hayden, President
Larrabee Heights Resident
November 1, 2011
NOTE: I am personally making available a copy of Lenora’s book (Pain Smarts) to a resident couple who were unable to attend the program because one is about to enter hospice care. I found it an excellent guide to managing pain, in easy-to-understand and entertaining language.
Card from Allen Avenue Unitarian Church in Portland Maine, May, 2010:
Dear Lenora,
Thank you for "Everything You Wanted to Know About Dying But Didn't Know Who to Ask" - a rare opportunity to speak openly about the second essential journey we shall all make.
As you remark in Pain Smarts, "Laughter is one of the best medicines available to all of us," and your presentation made laughter appropriately welcome in alleviating the fears around the process.
With much appreciation,
The Adult Enrichment Committee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3/xx/10
Dear Nurse Lenora,
Thank you so very much for your help when my husband passed away.
Your experience, knowledge, kindness and compassion were a great comfort to me and my family. You are a credit to the VNA.
Sincerely,
(Names withheld for confidentiality)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 25, 2011
I have known Lenora Trussell for a dozen years, and I am pleased to offer this testimonial in her behalf. Lenora is capable and creative with her writing, in her work, and in her personal relationships. Lenora always does what she promises to do, and she always does it well. My wife and I have been good personal friends with Lenora and her partner throughout our acquaintance, and we shared with them the task of helping their son Sam successfully through the challenging years of his adolescence.
I have served with Lenora for a number of years on the lay worship committee of the Allen Avenue Universalist Church, ant at one time co-chaired that committee with her. Our partnership has been not just productive but fun as well.
Lenora has worked for some time with various hospice organizations, and if my family should ever need such services, she is the first person I would call. Whether dealing with individuals or working in groups Lenora is always strong, positive and creative. She gives wonderful group talks which are amusing, informative, and-as apprpriate-spiritual. I recommend her to you.
Richard S. (Rick) Kimball
225A Morse Road
New Gloucester, ME 04260
207-926-3146
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback from recent "Hospice the Musical" Workshops
~Lenora makes these topics so fascinating and caring. Presenting from a positive approach, I think more people would really enjoy exploring so many facets of the last parts of life. Lenora is able to ease them into something they might otherwise avoid. Trudy McNulty
~Life is good! Thanks for your light touch. Your experience came through loud and clear. Great Stuff!!
Pam Berry
~Workshop was open, encouraging, respectful. Thanks, Mary Luby
~Loved the vignettes! Anonymous
In Circling the Drain, Lenora Trussell, self-named "End-of-Life Tour Guide," shares highlights
of her journey as a hospice nurse, moving with compassionate frankness, profound simplicity, and holy humor.
She invites awareness of rhythms, cycles, and ironies, both individual and universal, enhanced by joining her reverently playful spiral dance with the "elephant in the room," mortality. Her visionary phrase, "All Drains Lead to the Ocean" may serve as an encouraging subtitle for this guide book treasure.
Mark Chimsky, publishing professional and editor of Creating a Life You'll Love, April 2012
"In Circling the Drain, Lenora Trussell writes with humor, heart, and humanity about a subject that we all-too-often shy away from -- dealing with our own mortality. The true stories in this book teach us invaluable lessons about how to see death as a natural part of life -- and how to embrace the truth of this fact with dignity and a few well-earned laughs. I am grateful to have had the chance to read this gem of a book."
Carolyn Gage, Playwright, Performer, Activist March 2012
About Lenora's newest publication,Circling the Drain, "compassionate, down-to-earth and healing... A user-friendly read, especially helpful for those with loved ones at the end of their lives."
Armstrong Advanced Dental Concepts February 2012
I have been asked to have the honor to write a recommendation letter for Lenora Trussell. Lenora has been coming to Armstrong Advanced Dental Concepts for over seven years once a month to give our entire staff chair massages. She has been dependable in that time and has provided much need service to everyone who works here.
She maintains a professional attitude while bringing humor and wisdom about health care matters that arise during the time she spends with each of us. Her presence increases morale on the days she visits. It is a special treat we all look forward to.
Even though she comes only once a month, her work may be influencing the fact that our personnel have not had any repetitive injuries during the time she has been with us. I would recommend her services for any office that is interested in the well being of the people who work there and as a special way to show them how much you appreciate them and their well being, physical and mental.
If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Robbyn T. Mooradian
Office Coordinator
207-892-8325
Dr. Max Jacobs, Adjunct Faculty, Psychology
University of Maine at Farmington
Fall 2011
Psy230 Death and Dying
Seeking an experienced nurse with a background in hospice care, I asked Ms. Trussell to visit my death and dying class at the University of Maine at Farmington. Our class meets once a week for over three hours and keeping fifty or more college students engaged on such a topic for this length of time is no small feat. Lenora did and outstanding job, both presenting valuable material and doing it with humor and wit. The students were engaged and I received many positive comments from them the following week, including a few students who were interested in pursuing training in hospice work.
I would most enthusiastically recommend Ms. Trussell for teaching in this field, and I will be asking her to visit our class again next year.
Re: End of Life presentation by Lenora Trussell
To Whom it May Concern:
On October 24th, Lenora Trussell provided an extremely well-received program entitled “Practical wisdom and nurturing humor for the terminal condition called life.” Following a light luncheon, 23 residents of two senior housing complexes (Larrabee Heights and Larrabee Woods in Westbrook, ME) were educated and entertained by Ms. Trussell. As President of the Heights Resident Council, I had arranged for this presentation.
From my perspective, I have never observed this size group of seniors listen as intently as they did to Lenora’s very openly and light-hearted discussion of such a serious topic as end of life issues. She allowed for many questions which gave added knowledge to the program. Many of those present purchased her book “Pain Smarts” and some asked her about presenting for other groups they belong to.
It has been over a week since this program was held and everyone I have talked to who was in attendance has commented on what a wonderful program it was, how much they enjoyed and valued the presentation. We are hopeful that a return visit can be arranged in the near future.
In short, I would highly recommend that you arrange to have Lenora Trussell speak to your group. I believe she has the ability to adjust to individual needs and circumstances, to make her presentation most effective.
I would be most willing to answer questions about this presentation. You may contact me at
cdhayhall @ maine.rr.com.
Carol Sue Hayden, President
Larrabee Heights Resident
November 1, 2011
NOTE: I am personally making available a copy of Lenora’s book (Pain Smarts) to a resident couple who were unable to attend the program because one is about to enter hospice care. I found it an excellent guide to managing pain, in easy-to-understand and entertaining language.
Card from Allen Avenue Unitarian Church in Portland Maine, May, 2010:
Dear Lenora,
Thank you for "Everything You Wanted to Know About Dying But Didn't Know Who to Ask" - a rare opportunity to speak openly about the second essential journey we shall all make.
As you remark in Pain Smarts, "Laughter is one of the best medicines available to all of us," and your presentation made laughter appropriately welcome in alleviating the fears around the process.
With much appreciation,
The Adult Enrichment Committee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3/xx/10
Dear Nurse Lenora,
Thank you so very much for your help when my husband passed away.
Your experience, knowledge, kindness and compassion were a great comfort to me and my family. You are a credit to the VNA.
Sincerely,
(Names withheld for confidentiality)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 25, 2011
I have known Lenora Trussell for a dozen years, and I am pleased to offer this testimonial in her behalf. Lenora is capable and creative with her writing, in her work, and in her personal relationships. Lenora always does what she promises to do, and she always does it well. My wife and I have been good personal friends with Lenora and her partner throughout our acquaintance, and we shared with them the task of helping their son Sam successfully through the challenging years of his adolescence.
I have served with Lenora for a number of years on the lay worship committee of the Allen Avenue Universalist Church, ant at one time co-chaired that committee with her. Our partnership has been not just productive but fun as well.
Lenora has worked for some time with various hospice organizations, and if my family should ever need such services, she is the first person I would call. Whether dealing with individuals or working in groups Lenora is always strong, positive and creative. She gives wonderful group talks which are amusing, informative, and-as apprpriate-spiritual. I recommend her to you.
Richard S. (Rick) Kimball
225A Morse Road
New Gloucester, ME 04260
207-926-3146
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback from recent "Hospice the Musical" Workshops
~Lenora makes these topics so fascinating and caring. Presenting from a positive approach, I think more people would really enjoy exploring so many facets of the last parts of life. Lenora is able to ease them into something they might otherwise avoid. Trudy McNulty
~Life is good! Thanks for your light touch. Your experience came through loud and clear. Great Stuff!!
Pam Berry
~Workshop was open, encouraging, respectful. Thanks, Mary Luby
~Loved the vignettes! Anonymous