Memorial Day, 2011

Wow - it has been quite some time since my last post. Much has happened! I moved from the dinky apartment to a small house. It's a fun house that feels like a Florida house with a screened-in porch. No pool - although I am sure that would have been fun. There are still boxes in the garage and I am now speculating that the house needs to be a bit bigger.

Much happens here every day at the Hospice House. Time sort of stops here for families. Their routines stop or change. Time definitely stops here for patients. People come here for 3 reasons, pain management - a time to evaluate medications and see if there are better ways to management the pain; End-of-life care, and respite - where the caregivers really need a break from the normal routine-whatever that might be. We have 30 rooms, individual rooms. Our average stay is 3-4 days so the census is constantly changing. The hardest part for the introvert in me is to meet new people every day, all day long. The easiest part is to hear the wonderful stories of the loved ones that die here and how their lives have left legacies for their family and friends.

One thing that I often do here is to remind staff to think of the things they are grateful for - somewhat of an easy task when you work here. I hope that I never take for granted the simple things. So I share with you items from the latest list - family, friends, good health, our senses-touch, taste, hear, see, smell, ability to love, ability to remember, my home which is personal sanctuary and refuge, ability to walk independently on my own two feet, the ability to do things for myself without pain, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets and fresh air to breathe, hot showers, warm beds, cool evening breezes, books, choices, diversity, language and the ability to communicate with others...

I am grateful that I will be going to Fort Wayne in June-I love what I do here, and I also really miss my Fort Wayne life and some really long-time wonderful friends.

So if you are in the Fort Wayne area, Sunday, June 26, from 3 - 6 p.m., potluck at The Heritage of Fort Wayne, Club House, 8200 St. Joe Road. Come visit!