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.
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.
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.
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.
Conley Murray has always loved adventure. He enjoys tellinghis Hospice Care Plus chaplain, Sally Iseral, about the adventures in his life. During one of those conversations, Sally asked him what adventures he still has on his bucket list.
Mr. Murray had a quick answer.
“I’d love to go up in a single-engine plane,” he told her. “That would be so much fun.”
Sally wasted no time. She contacted Eastern Kentucky University’s aviation program. They gave her the name of one of their graduate pilots, Corey Oney. Not only did Corey agree to take Mr. Murray up in his plane, but he donated the fee. Next, Sally contacted the Central Kentucky Regional Airport, where Corey’s flight would originate. They, too, were on board with the ideaand donated the airport’s fees.
On Tuesday, August 8, 2017, Mr. Murray’s dream came true. Corey helped him into the small craft, and they took off into a beautiful blue sky. They spent nearly an hour exploring Madison County from the air, including a flight over the Pinnacles in Berea.
When they returned, and after a delicate dance to help him out of the plane, Mr. Murray had an enormous smile and a few words.
“That was so much fun!” he told everyone gathered, as he distributed warm hugs to his Hospice Care Plus team, friends, and family.
His wife, Mrs. Murray, captured her feelings in a tearful moment just after takeoff, flanked by Mr. Murray’s hospice nurse, Connie, and his hospice social worker, Kristy.
“I think it’s wonderful, isn’t it? Just wonderful. That’s his dream. He’s always wanted to do this, and I’m so happy.”
Our thanks to EKU for sending us in the right direction, to the incredible Corey Oney, who was so gracious and kind, and to Central Kentucky Regional Airport. Our deepest gratitude for helping a special gentleman have another taste of adventure.
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.
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.
June 6, 2016, was a magical day for Hospice Care Plus patient, Brenda Roberts.
She was in the audience to see one of her favorite people, Blake Shelton, perform at the Country Music Hall of Fame CMA Theater in Nashville. She was treated to the performance by us and by Madison Health and Rehabilitation Center (MHR) in Richmond, KY, who partnered to secure three tickets for her, her daughter Dreema (a nurse), and her son-in-law.
Brenda with her daughter and son-in-law during their trip to Nashville.
Brenda is from Cynthiana, KY, but is currently a resident at MHR. Our care teams partners with MHR to provide her care.
On May 23, Brenda, who has cancer of the larynx, and Dreema met with Hospice Care Plus admission nurse Dorsie Puckett to learn more about hospice care.
“We were sitting there, and she was upset and tearful,” says Dorsie. “I could see she felt that choosing hospice meant giving up and just waiting for the end. I wanted her to turn her focus to hope and to living, so I asked her if there was anything we could do for her, anything special that was important to her that she really wanted to do. That’s when Dreema mentioned that Brenda loves Blake Shelton. Brenda, who has a tracheotomy and is unable to speak, whispered very softly to me, ‘Yes, I do. I’m not a great country music fan, but I think he’s the most handsome man in the whole world and it would make my life to get to see him.’”
Dorsie explained that she would do her best, then immediately worked with her team and the rest of the Hospice Care Plus staff to see what could be done. After some research, we learned of an upcoming performance at the intimate CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville. We secured affordable tickets and booked a stay at The Capitol Hotel, which offered a discounted rate. Brenda couldn’t physically endure a round trip to Nashville without a two-night stay to help her rest and recover. MHR shared a portion of the ticket cost with us and the family agreed to share the cost of the hotel.
Our team then worked quickly to gather the medical equipment Brenda would need for a long drive and two nights away from her facility: a portable suction machine, 12 e-tanks for portable oxygen, a wheelchair-mounted carrier for the e-tanks, an adequate supply of all her medications, and numerous routine medical supplies.
Brenda with her family as they prepared to leave for their adventure.
While these logistics were being taken care of, our staff decided to take things one step further and attempt to arrange a backstage meeting with Mr. Shelton. We worked on contacting Blake Shelton’s managers and fan club. When those calls and emails weren’t returned, we launched a social media campaign to ask for help. Several old and new friends and followers had connections they thought could make this happen for Brenda, but it was a long process and an even longer shot.
When June 5 came, the day before the concert, Brenda was doing well and was able to travel. She and her family left for Nashville. On the morning of June 6, the day of the performance, we still had no way of knowing if our social media campaign had worked. While we were aware that one high-level industry executive promised to work on it and that several managers were favorable to the request, no one had contacted us.
When Brenda’s family texted us to say they made it and were inside the venue, our entire Hospice Care Plus staff celebrated that Brenda was about to see her wished-for concert, but we were also a little disappointed. It was assumed that, if anything special had been planned for Brenda, it would have been made clear to them when they presented their tickets. Nothing had happened.
By the time the performance began an hour later, we were certain that a meeting with the superstar wasn’t, well, in the stars.
“I was texting two supporters who had worked incredibly hard to make it happen,” says Brenna Wallhausser, director of public relations at Hospice Care Plus. “I was preparing them for the fact that it wasn’t going to happen, but also thanking them and reassuring them that Brenda would not know any disappointment. She didn’t know we were trying for the meeting. We agreed not to tell her, because we didn’t want to risk a letdown. We wanted her to feel nothing but joy at seeing him live in concert.”
With their concert tickets just inside the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Then, ten minutes into the performance, Brenna received an email from Berkley Myers with Starstruck Management Group in Nashville, asking us to call her as soon as possible. Brenna called immediately.
“When she told me to text the family to ask them to remain in their seats after the performance, I knew what it meant. I was elated,” says Brenna.
Ms. Myers went on to explain that someone with the Country Music Hall of Fame would go to the family’s seats and escort them backstage to meet with Mr. Shelton.
For the next few hours, Brenna and others waited patiently for word from Dreema. It came at 6:30 p.m. when she texted the photograph of her mother with Blake Shelton.
“When I saw it, I thought that it captured how special all of this was for Brenda,” says Brenna. “It was easy to see the joy on her face. Surprisingly, it also seemed to catch how special it was for Blake Shelton.”
That joy stayed with Brenda. When Dorsie saw her at MHR again on June 8 for her hospice nursing visit, Brenda was still radiating happiness.
“The look on her face when I saw her . . . She looked at me and . . . I cried. She held her arms out wide to me and said, ‘Thank you all. Thank you all. Thank you all.’”
“Blake Shelton was amazing,” says Dreema.
As for the details of the meeting with Blake Shelton, Dreema reports that it was beyond anything they could have expected.
“Everyone was so kind, and Blake Shelton was amazing,” she says. “He hugged her over and over. He held onto her and rubbed her shoulder. He held her hand. He kissed her on the cheek and let her do the same. She mouthed the words, ‘I love you. I have cancer.’ He told her he knew, and he just hugged her.”
In a Facebook post to thank everyone involved, we made sure to thank Blake Shelton for his graciousness. “You not only agreed to meet her, but you made her feel cared for, special, and welcome. You gave her joy. Anyone can agree to a backstage meeting, but not just anyone can achieve that.”
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.
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.
Don Ray loved music. Specifically, he loved to collect it, sing it, and entertain with it. By the time he chose hospice care, he had thousands of CDs that made up an impressive
Don with Nikki Stuart and Julie Hatfield, who helped him organize his bucket-list karaoke event.
collection for one of his favorite hobbies: karaoke.
When Sally Iseral Shepherd, his Hospice Care Plus chaplain, visited him, they often sang a song or two. In spite of end-stage lung disease, Don never stopped singing.
“Singing opened up his lungs and made him feel better,” Sally remembers. “Plus, we enjoyed it. We had a great time singing those songs.”
During one visit, Don mentioned that he wanted to put all that music to good use. He’d decided he wanted to host a karaoke concert as a fundraiser for Hospice Care Plus. He talked it over with Nikki Stuart, who helps with fundraising at Hospice.
“He told me he wanted to give back,” Nikki says. “He said it was important to him, and that he wanted to make sure other people could benefit from hospice the way he had. He and his wife had only one request—to do it soon, while he still felt well enough to host and sing.”
In the first week of June, Nikki and Sally shared the work of going door-to-door in Richmond, looking for a place that would allow Don to perform on short notice and without charging a fee. Unfortunately, during the summer months, most venues have entertainment scheduled weeks in advance. Although owners wanted to help, they were understandably reluctant to bump a scheduled entertainer from the schedule.
Then, Nikki walked into Purdy’s Coffee shop on Main Street in Richmond. Owner Kristin Purdy heard the story and, without a second thought, agreed to give their next Thursday night music event over to Don.
Even though there were only a few days to advertise, dozens of friends, family, and supporters crowded Purdy’s on a beautiful June evening. Anyone lucky enough to wander in got to see Don, flushed with excitement, making the rounds to greet everyone, choosing the right music for the next karaoke performer, or—if they were truly lucky—singing a duet with his chaplain, Sally.
Don seemed to swell with pride with each dollar dropped into his fundraising jar that night. By the end of the evening, he knew he’d accomplished his goal of helping patients and families who, like him, have more living to do but need help feeling well enough to do it.
“It was a real honor to be there and watch this dream come true for him,” says Nikki. “His face was lit up with an enormous smile all evening long. It clearly made him very happy, and that felt great for all of us who were there.”
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.
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.
Marlene Payne had a very specific wish. Granting that wish would involve getting her up five flights of stairs into a bell tower, so she could play the instrument she loved one more time. It would take four men, special equipment, and the cooperation of a small college. This is a great story about a great woman, and this little video tells it well.
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.
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.
Jeannie Strong is a talented and creative woman with a heart for service. She helped her husband, former Richmond, Ky., Mayor Bill Strong, serve his community for decades as a city commissioner, a magistrate, and mayor. In her life away from public service, she put her creativity to work.
Jeannie’s creative touch extends to nearly everything around her: growing flowers and vegetables, upholstery, sewing, and endless crafts.
Her walls are draped with aprons she made from vintage material. She has steamer trunks
Jeannie with her daughter and some of her beautiful, hand-made stockings.
filled with pictures of blue ribbons she’s won at the Madison County Fair over the years.
So, nine months ago, when she was diagnosed with end-stage lung cancer and given a prognosis of one year to live, Jeannie responded in typical fashion. She wanted to work through it with her hands—to put them to use on a special project.
Jeannie’s immediate wish was to make every single person in her family a Christmas stocking before she dies.
When she came to Hospice Care Plus, the team saw right away that this project was very important to her. They saw the beautiful fabrics Jeannie was working with to make the stockings: burlap, ribbons, even an old mink stole that belonged to her mother. But they also knew that it was about much more than fabric, or even the stockings themselves.
Jeannie shows her Hospice Care Plus nurse, Junie, one of her vintage aprons.
Jeannie Strong was working on her legacy.
The hospice team knew its job was to make sure Jeannie continued to feel well enough to finish the project. So, together, they dealt with pain and symptom management so Jeannie could continue sewing stockings.
Every day, Jeannie walked down her narrow basement stairs and made more progress. She was admitted to Hospice Care Plus in October. By January, Jeannie was finished with every last one.
But, she wasn’t done yet. Her next project is a quilt for her newest great-grandchild.
Jeannie with husband Bill Strong.
When that’s finished and Jeannie turns to her next project, we’ll be by her side the whole way, making sure she feels as well as she can for as long as possible. Because, as hospice care staff, we know that fine-tuning one’s legacy is a top wish for patients. We also know that, in order for peace and quality of life to truly win the day, those wishes must be met.
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.
John Shelton may have come to Hospice Care Plus with advanced heart disease, but, to us, his heart was perfect.
He loved life. He loved his wife. He even loved his hospice care team.
Jane and John open cards and gifts at John’s birthday celebration with his Hospice Care Plus team.
He also loved celebrating his birthday.
“As soon as one birthday passed, he would start reminding you that he had another one coming up, counting down the months,” says his wife Jane.
One reason he enjoyed celebrating each year of his life had to do with his medical history. He had his first heart attack at a young age and was diagnosed with heart disease at 39. So, to John, every single year—even every day—was a reason to celebrate.
“John loved life and lived it to its fullest . . . I think he was determined to make every day count,” says Jane.
By the time John came to us for care, he outlived his doctors’ prognosis by many years. But, at 76, his heart was weak.
John and all his guests snap a quick picture during his birthday dinner.
“He was the picture of health on the outside,” says Jane, “but it was his inside that was failing him. His heart disease was taking its toll.”
Weakened heart aside, John Shelton was not going to let his 76th birthday go by without a celebration.
He spoke to his hospice team about it and told them he was determined to celebrate. They supported him, encouraged him, and joined him in planning the big day.
John’s traditional birthday celebration was an evening out to eat with Jane at the restaurant of his choice. This year would be no different. He told his hospice team that he wanted to enjoy a meal with his wife at Red Lobster.
But, this year, he wanted a few extra people to join them. He asked his entire Hospice Care Plus team to come along.
This was no surprise to Jane. She remembers that, the previous Halloween, John wanted to make goodie baskets for each member of the hospice team who visited him regularly.
“John sat there smiling and was so excited as we worked on those baskets that night,” Jane says. “He couldn’t wait to give them to the girls.”
So, on the evening of his birthday, John and Jane drove to Red Lobster. When they came into the entrance, the party began.
There was his nurse, Norma; his chaplain, Sally; and his social worker, Jackie, all of their arms filled with helium balloons and gifts.
John, Jane, Norma, Sally, and Jackie enjoyed a full meal, with John feeling well enough to indulge in dessert, too.
“He was smiling from ear to ear. He was so excited to get to celebrate with them,” says Jane.
A modest birthday party is a very modest wish. But, to John, it meant everything. Thank you, John, for inviting us to celebrate with you.
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.
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 shared the story of Mr. Ramirez’s very special wish on our Facebook page, it reached nearly 400,000 people. Later, we made this simple video to use as part of our 2016 Bucket-List Challenge. Special thanks to his family, and especially his granddaughter, Blue, for sharing their memories and photos with us, and with you.
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.
The Bucket-List Blog 