The word "Hospice" means "A place of rest or shelter, usually maintained by a religious order for pilgrims and travelers. (Funk & Wagnalls Dictionary)
Life is like a journey. I have been on a journey for a very long time. I have been down in the valleys and I have been on the mountain tops. Life is also like going down a river on a canoe, you don't know what is around the next bend. Perhaps there is a water fall or a bunch of jagged rocks. Some how we manage to get through the obstacles of our journey, but not all make it. I have lost many friends through accidents and wars. Some were very young.
Hospice is really a small team of people that help you die. The object is to try and keep you comfortable until you take your last breath. This may sound strange to some, but I am really looking forward to hospice. "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" 2 Corinthians 5:6. I intend to continue to stay on the Forum as long as I can.
My dad will be 89 in February. At the moment he is in the hospital battling an infection.
He may be home next week or they may put him in physical therapy. They haven't decided.
I had "the talk" with dad a few weeks ago before he got sick. I asked him if things get bad, what he thought I should do and what his wishes were.
He told me he wants to stay at home until it's time to go.
There is only the two of us here and I'm not as strong as I used to be. He weighs almost 200 lbs and I can't lift him.
But I'm going to do everything I can to keep him home.
This week I kind of got a scare. How many more times can his body go through these infections before it's the last time?
This is the third year in a row and I almost lost him last spring.
I would like to think of our home as a hospice. I'm only one person and may need help in the future.
But my objective is to try and keep him as comfortable for as long as I am able.
Dad knows where he's going, and I know when he goes he'll be waiting for me with mom and my brothers.
I don't like to think about it, but it is what it is.
I will be praying for you Robert.
For a gentle ride home.
God Bless You
We are with you.
Hugs