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arthritisR_US

(7,812 posts)
51. {{{{GiveMeFreedom}}}} My husband just passed away in Sept and he was
Fri Nov 1, 2013, 05:53 PM
Nov 2013

in hospice for the last 6 weeks of his life. The hospice staff were wonderful and the facility, that the Social Worker from the palliative home care team chose for him, was as close to our home environment as one could get. Walking for him was very difficult so she picked his room as the one closest to the outdoor patio given he loved to enjoy the fresh air and have his fag, 10 steps and he was there. The outdoor furniture, flowers and shrubbery were almost identical to what we have at home in the front where he always relaxed and soaked in the rays. His room at the hospice was more like a tiny apartment.

His biggest fear before going in was that it would be like being in the hospital. He had had too many hospital stays in his lasts months and he hated all of them. Some hospitals had been better than others but those distinctions are in degree not in kind. Gone was the clinical and sterile atmosphere of the hospital, gone were the horrible hospital "meals" he could once again enjoy home cooking! The staff attention was constant and he was no longer having to wait for pain meds.

The entire focus of hospice care is for patient comfort. Address the pain as well as offer any emotional/spiritual support as patients need or want. There are no visiting hours, visiting is 24/7. They brought us a cot into his room for our last three weeks (as we requested) so we stayed there with him non stop. We rearranged his room a bit, no problem, whatever made him happy. We brought in personal items of his to decorate his room and his favourite comforter which made him squeal in glee like a small child

The doctors, the staff, everyone was absolutely wonderful.

My heart and my love go out to you mate. I hope this helps you and you will be in my thoughts always

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

What to expect from hospice? [View all] GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 OP
(((GiveMeFreedom}}} leftynyc Nov 2013 #1
Sorry about your Dad GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #4
Wish I could do more leftynyc Nov 2013 #7
thanks lefty GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #2
Hi. I'm very sorry to read this. babylonsister Nov 2013 #3
My life partner was in hospice at the end. William769 Nov 2013 #5
You've exhausted every possible option? No transplant possibility, or anything of that nature? MADem Nov 2013 #6
All possible modern GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #11
good luck.. I wish you a journey free of pain and fear. Voice for Peace Nov 2013 #21
Thank you GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #65
Someday somewhere on this endless continuum of life. Voice for Peace Nov 2013 #75
I love your post BuddhaGirl Nov 2013 #72
Thanks. Words are easy of course, and Voice for Peace Nov 2013 #76
Well, I will hope for spontaneous remission for you. And if that doesn't happen, I'll hope you MADem Nov 2013 #68
This is sad to read qanda Nov 2013 #8
One question, qanda Nov 2013 #9
Never to late for friendships GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #14
I could not find the PM button so here it is GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #16
Aloha Paul mahina Nov 2013 #20
THANK YOU GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #61
So sorry GiveMeFreedom CountAllVotes Nov 2013 #10
I had a hospice conversation with my dad just yesterday. cry baby Nov 2013 #12
Thank you Cry baby GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #62
We did hospice in-home for a relative and glad we did. KurtNYC Nov 2013 #13
Your right Kurt GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #63
Sorry to hear about your situation. ladyVet Nov 2013 #15
my sister went into hospice care noiretextatique Nov 2013 #17
My husband had hispice at home and he had kidney cancer too. Auntie Bush Nov 2013 #18
(( GMFreedom )) LiberalAndProud Nov 2013 #19
So sorry to hear this is happening to you. haele Nov 2013 #22
No words.......... panader0 Nov 2013 #23
You will be in my thoughts. Hospice - we've had 3 experiences with them for family members. NRaleighLiberal Nov 2013 #24
hospice volunteers are real angels hopemountain Nov 2013 #25
Not all Hospice is non-profit. ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2013 #27
thank you for the post hopemountain Nov 2013 #32
Professional hospice services are a Medicare benefit. Para-professional support agencies pinto Nov 2013 #36
I'm aware that hospice is a medicare benefit. ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2013 #40
Ah, fraud. Thanks for the info. pinto Nov 2013 #41
Money ruins everything. ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2013 #42
Here in the Chicago area the small non profit hospices formed a collective mucifer Nov 2013 #53
That's a great idea! ForgoTheConsequence Nov 2013 #54
I googled it. I couldn't find anything. I think it's more internal mucifer Nov 2013 #57
Hospice Medicare Benefit pinto Nov 2013 #33
thank you, pinto! hopemountain Nov 2013 #38
hospice can be a wonderful thing dembotoz Nov 2013 #26
Hospice helps. mahannah Nov 2013 #28
It depends what you want out of it. Barack_America Nov 2013 #29
Make sure you, because you are what counts, are comfortable with your hospice care. ScreamingMeemie Nov 2013 #30
Sorry, sorry to hear about your situation. RebelOne Nov 2013 #31
I used hospice with both parents, a step parent, and a sibling. I've also worked for a hospice for Tarheel_Dem Nov 2013 #34
They will care for you with kindness and grace. QuestForSense Nov 2013 #35
I worked for a hospice for several years mcar Nov 2013 #37
So sorry to read this. My father in law madibella Nov 2013 #39
Been through it once with a family member. Cleita Nov 2013 #43
Loving tom_kelly Nov 2013 #44
Hope Hospice was absolutely wonderful for my mo Pretzel_Warrior Nov 2013 #45
One of the best things about hospice care, outside of the direct professional services, pinto Nov 2013 #46
a few books NJCher Nov 2013 #47
Believe me, you'll have friends here until the end. Buns_of_Fire Nov 2013 #48
Our family made use of hospice services Blue_In_AK Nov 2013 #49
GiveMeFreedom riverwalker Nov 2013 #50
{{{{GiveMeFreedom}}}} My husband just passed away in Sept and he was arthritisR_US Nov 2013 #51
We'll all be joining you soon enough, GMF LittleBlue Nov 2013 #52
Hi GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #78
I wish you peace and comfort ... and joy ... never forget small joys etherealtruth Nov 2013 #55
Thank you. nt. GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #64
I'm sorry Yo_Mama Nov 2013 #56
Sorry LPA elehhhhna Nov 2013 #58
Thanks GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #82
so what ar you thinking re; afterlife? elehhhhna Nov 2013 #86
Concentrate on your best memories. xfundy Nov 2013 #59
Dear GiveMeFreedom, do you want to die at home or in a dedicated facility? KittyWampus Nov 2013 #60
... Liberal_in_LA Nov 2013 #66
Thanks GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #81
You should expect comfort, and to depart this life in style curlyred Nov 2013 #67
I'm so very sorry, GiveMeFreedom pinstikfartherin Nov 2013 #69
Thank you GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #83
Hopice is wonderful and most people don't connect with them soon enough cynannmarie Nov 2013 #70
K&R for sure! nt Ernesto Nov 2013 #85
(((((((((((((( : > (( )))))))))))))) glinda Nov 2013 #71
Thanks GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #84
I'm sorry to hear this BuddhaGirl Nov 2013 #73
Thanks GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #80
... Mnemosyne Nov 2013 #74
Well Sir, peace to you. Please let me share our story. JimboBillyBubbaBob Nov 2013 #77
Thank you GiveMeFreedom Nov 2013 #79
My experience, like so many other replies, was an extremely positive one. adirondacker Nov 2013 #87
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»What to expect from hospi...»Reply #51