December 6

My oh my, it's been quite a while since I posted something here. I still love the hospice world. This week seems to be the week for memorial services - many families of people that die at the hospice house really appreciate the space and the warmth of the surroundings. On some kind of level, it feels like home and families like to have services for their loved one on the grounds where they died. The first service I did here was for a 25 year old - that one will always be etched on my heart.

More recently, a woman came in that had just learned of her cancer spreading to all organs. As you can imagine she was on quite a ride through grief. She would take pictures all around the grounds of the plants as she wanted them planted in her own yard for her family when she was gone. She is such a dear - she left the hospice house late last week to go home. We are all hopeful that she can live her dream a little longer...to live fully every day. And I also know that very soon, I will see her again.

I say this just about every time but it becomes such a force that I cannot forget - live abundantly - life is short. I learn alot of things about patients and illness and grief and family dynamics and the end of life, but the one thing that I know for sure - all people die, some people live.

The holidays feel strange this year. It is hard to get in the Christmas spirit when the sun is shining and people are wearing shorts. The dinky apartment feels too small for decorations - and too hard to get to the boxes with the decorations so perhaps we will just look at the lights on the neighbor's tree. I am working on Christmas day which I have never done before. We were talking with my cousin who lives near Tampa about what to do to celebrate this year. We need a new tradition...so if anyone has a cool tradition that could be done in FL, let me know! But one thing I don't mind - no snow for Christmas. I think that works out well.

Enjoy the season of glad tidings. Enjoy the season of preparation and waiting...what are you preparing for?