Monthly Archives: October 2022

To Have Mom at My Wedding

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Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

We met Nancy through her mother who was in our care at the Compassionate Care Center.

During a conversation with Nancy, one of our nurses, Teresa Dickson, learned that she felt sad that her mother wouldn’t be with her for her wedding in June. 

Teresa immediately spoke with Heather Randall, a social worker, about Nancy’s situation. Together, they offered Nancy the opportunity to have her wedding at the Center.

When Teresa and Heather discussed the wedding idea with Nancy, they helped her understand that her mother, Connie, was declining quickly and that the wedding should take place the next day.

The Hospice Care Plus staff, immediately began reaching out to friends and supporters to help pull the wedding together.

We worried we wouldn’t find a wedding dress that quickly. But, as luck would have it, a staff member checked Facebook and found that a Mt. Vernon woman had a dress for sale in Nancy’s size. We contacted the woman (Mrs. Renée Oliver), and she very generously offered to donate the dress to Nancy. Mrs. Oliver later shared that her grandfather had been a patient at our Compassionate Care Center 10 years ago. When we met to pick up the dress from her, she said, “today would have been my grandfather’s birthday. You all finding my dress was just meant to be.” Amazingly, it was a perfect fit for Nancy and looked lovely on her. Many thanks to Mrs. Oliver!

Kroger Marketplace in Richmond is always so helpful to us. We contacted them to ask if their floral department might help us with a bouquet, and they donated a beautiful one, which included daisies, Nancy’s favorite flower.

Every bride should feel special and beautiful, and we wanted that for Nancy and her mother, even if we had only 24 hours to plan. Thankfully, a few key people donated their time and services quickly. Charm Todd at Perfect Touch Beauty Salon in Richmond donated hair styling for Nancy. Kylie Randall, daughter of social worker Heather Randall, donated makeup application. And Roni April, a former nurse at our Compassionate Care Center, saw a staff member’s Facebook post about needing bobby pins and used her lunch break at work to buy them and bring them to us.

Since we had to pull the wedding together so quickly, the families really didn’t have time to worry about returning home for clothing or purchasing special items. Amy Lasher, owner of Kid to Kid, donated ties and suspenders for the groom and the children, and Russell and Cynthia Cole donated a shirt for the groom.

We also wondered how to get a wedding-worthy cake quickly. Thankfully, Leah Dean Lowe with Chaos Confections Bakery came to the rescue. She donated a beautiful cake, decked out with the bride’s favorite flower: daisies.

Photographer Kat Wagers, owner of Kat Wayers Studios, was alerted to our Facebook post, in which we asked for help finding a professional photographer who might donate services on short notice. She agreed and came through with flying colors, spending a great deal of time taking and processing hundreds of photographs. We’re so grateful that Nancy has these beautiful photos to treasure.

Kelly Price Taylor, one of our volunteers and well-known in Madison County for her beautiful voice, sang a processional song for the bride and groom.  Another Hospice Care Plus volunteer, Hee-Young Shin, sang the recessional in the same lovely voice she uses to sing to patients at the Center when she volunteers. Ruth Crutcher, who prepares meals for patients at the Center, also joined in.

Family members, guests, and Hospice Care Plus staff and volunteers watched as the bride and her father came through the doors of the Center’s family room to take their places in front of the mantle. With Denise Roberts McKinney, Hospice Care Plus chaplain, officiating and her mother in her bed next to them, the bride and groom were married.

Our chief medical director, Dr. Hanan Budeiri (known to all of us as Dr. B), donated refreshments for a reception.

Our thanks to the family for their willingness to share this moment with you. That willingness stems from their appreciation for your help, without which Nancy and her mother would not have been able to celebrate Nancy’s wedding together.

Nancy’s mother died peacefully the next morning, knowing her daughter treasured her enough to make sure she was present at such a key life milestone.

Hospice care is often like this: sadness at the loss or potential loss of a loved one, punctuated by moments of joy, affection, peace, compassion, and togetherness. Our thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families. Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

To See a Movie in the Theater

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Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

Elizabeth, 27 years old, felt a strong connection with Joey Feek and very much wanted to see the movie, “To Joey, with Love.” But our medical team was concerned that Elizabeth might not be with us by October 6, when the movie was to be shown for the last time.

Elizabeth’s care team got together with her family to make a plan.

We called the theater and asked for their help. In no time at all, they made arrangements to give a private viewing to Elizabeth and her family. They donated snacks for Elizabeth’s family, guests, and the nursing staff we sent with her. She was able to watch the entire film from the comfort of her stretcher, provided by Madison County EMS.

It seemed to all of us that she used all the resources left to her to make it to, and through, that film. She declined quickly afterward. We learned less than an hour before the final public viewing of the film, that she had passed away.

Rest in peace, Elizabeth. We’re so happy you got to be part of a story that meant so much to you. Special thanks go to everyone at Cinemark at Richmond Centre, Madison County EMS, Elizabeth’s wonderful family for allowing us to be part of her care, and Joey+Rory, whose beautiful and brave story means so much to so many.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families. Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

To Be Thanked for His Service

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Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

Honoring those who have served our country is one of our greatest joys. Not everyone understands how important it can be for a veteran to be formally recognized for their service, especially as the end of life nears. For some, these bedside ceremonies are the first time they’ve experienced that kind of recognition. For Jack, a Korean War veteran, being honored for his service meant more than we could have imagined.

Jack’s family shared with us that the Korean War was often referred to as “The Forgotten War,” and veterans who served in this war sometimes feel overlooked. Jack’s hospice team got to work on planning a recognition for his service. They reached out to Honor Flight Bluegrass, out of Louisville, and plans were underway to get Jack on the next flight to Washington, D.C. Although Jack appreciated the offer, he ultimately decided that a ceremony at home would be best, so we brought the honor flight to him.

On a chilly October evening, members from the local American Legion, along with a representative from Honor Flight Bluegrass, helped us recognize Jack for his dedicated service as a Korean War veteran. There were a few tears, but mostly big smiles and a lot of stories from Jack’s days in the Korean War. His sister said he’d long been waiting for this day – a day to be formally thanked.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families. Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

To Have Coffee with an Old Friend

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Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

When we ask our patients what’s most important to them or what’s on their minds, what we are trying to do is learn. We can’t meet a need that we haven’t learned about. Many needs are relatively obvious and easy to meet: a walker for support, a new medication to treat a new symptom, for instance. Other needs take time to reveal themselves, but they are no less important.

One of Fred’s needs was about home, routines, and the special companionship we often find in our four-legged friends.

Fred wanted to go home again and have a cup of coffee in his favorite spot on the couch with his dog, Sam.

We’ve cared for Fred at home for several months. Recently, though, his pain worsened and his symptoms changed. He chose to come to our Compassionate Care Center, where we’d work to get his symptoms under control.

He missed home, though. He missed his beloved dog, Sam. And he missed that comfortable spot on the couch where, every day, he would enjoy a cup of coffee.

So, as we have done many times, we partnered with the generous team at Madison County EMS. They worked with us to get Fred home safely. His Hospice Care Plus nurse, Jodi, arrived before Fred so she could make a pot of coffee. Madison County EMS stayed at home with Fred while he sat on his couch, had coffee, and reunited with Sam. They gave him all the space he needed to savor that time at home. Then, they took him back to the Center, where we continue to manage his pain and symptoms.

We’re so grateful to Fred for letting us do this with and for him and for reminding us that hospice care is about living each day to the fullest and making every moment matter.

Special thanks to Madison County EMS for being such good partners for those in our care, to Cheryl for facilitating Fred’s homecoming, to Jodi Neal for making a fantastic cup of coffee, and to all our staff in Berea and at our Center for pulling this together so quickly.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families.Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

To Make a Meaningful Mark

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Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

We all have bucket-list wishes. Sometimes the thing you want to do seems simple, like getting a tattoo, but is really about much more–claiming and honoring someone you love, for instance.

As our Hospice Care Plus home care team worked with and cared for Deloris, it became clear that one of her daughters was on her mind. Deloris had tattoos representing each of her children. But this daughter was adopted later in life, so she wasn’t included in the tattoo. As our care team learned more about her, they could see that this was important and meaningful. They did what they always do – tried to find a way to make it happen.

Chasity Smallwood-Coleman, our director of development, heard about Deloris’s special wish on her day off work. She was familiar with a local tattoo business–Lucky Lady Tattoos in Richmond–and reached out to ask its artist, Will, for help. Will agreed to donate his services.

Then, as we often do, we turned to our heroes at Madison County EMS about safely transporting Deloris to Lucky Lady Tattoos. They also let her be tattooed on the stretcher, which was more comfortable for her.

By the end of the day, Deloris had what she needed: resolution, peace, and a mark that claimed and embraced all of her children.

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families.Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.

To Marry the Love of My Life

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A Letter from Ann

Our stories about meaningful experiences are written as they unfold. Therefore, most stories are in the present tense. Some of the patients in these stories are no longer with us. They, and their families, gave us permission to share their experience with you. For those who have since passed, we share these in their memories with deep appreciation for what they have taught us about life and living.

In August 2020, as were struggling to take care of our patients and families—and each other—in the midst of a global pandemic, we realized it was time for an annual fundraising letter. This letter typically comes from someone whose loved one was cared for by one of our programs.  But this time, one of our care teams said they had the most beautiful story unfolding with one of their patients, his caregiver, and their family. They thought the family would agree to share that story in the form of a letter. To spare the family from the work of writing the letter, the team simply interviewed Ann, the caregiver, about their special-wish wedding experience. Then, the team worked to put Ann’s words down in the form of a letter and video. Once Ann approved each, it was sent to our supporters and shared on social media. It ended up raising more than $20,000 to fund care and services.  

Here are Ann’s words and video. Our thanks to Ann, Jerry, and family for allowing us to share their story. 

This summer, in the middle of a pandemic and while my soon-to-be husband was receiving hospice care, I married the love of my life. 

Jerry and I have been together for nearly 40 years. For most of them, we were married. Then came the divorce, which was more about circumstances than our feelings. Afterward, we stayed close. I’ve been his caregiver since November 2019, when Hospice Care Plus started caring for him in our home. 

Hospice has kept him comfortable and at home all these months. Then, in July, Jerry said there was something special he wanted. Hospice always encourages Jerry to think about what’s important to him. Imagine my surprise when he said what he wanted most was for us to remarry! 

When I told our hospice team, they sprang into action. I worried it would be hard to get the marriage license, because Jerry could only go to the courthouse by ambulance. But Junann, our hospice chaplain, said, “God makes a way out of no way.” She agreed to officiate. She worked with the courthouse to get the license. Stephanie, the hospice nurse, made sure Jerry felt up to the ceremony. And Kristy, our social worker, was busy with a few surprises. 

We didn’t want them to go to any trouble. But, on our wedding day, Kristy came with a donated wedding cake and bouquets and boutonnieres she made herself. Junann brought a book she made for the ceremony so that Jerry, who can’t hear well, could read and follow along. She even wrote us a thank you note at the end, telling us this was her first wedding and thanking us for how special it was for her.  

They brought refreshments and decorations. They made that day as special as Jerry wanted it to be. They gave our family memories we’ll treasure for the rest of our lives. 

Junann made our ceremony a seated one, because it’s almost impossible for Jerry to stand. So, I was shocked when it came time for the kiss. Jerry struggled up from his chair, saying he wanted to stand up to kiss his bride. The hospice team took a picture and included it in a wedding album they made for us. That’s a memory I’ll hold close to my heart forever. 

That’s what I want to share with you—that in the middle of a pandemic, this amazing hospice team still goes above and beyond to understand what a family needs to have hope and peace. Then, they get to work to make it possible. 

Trust me when I say that families like ours aren’t sure what we would do without their compassion and care. This team has become part of our family.  

Sincerely, 

Ann 

How can you honor life during National Hospice & Palliative Care Month? Visit the #WeHonorLife campaign page to learn about all the ways you can help, from volunteering and shopping to helping us increase access to specialized care for the seriously ill and their families.Questions? Contact us at hospice@hospicecp.org or 859-986-1500 or visit our website.