How to describe the emotions we feel and the ups and downs of each day?
Words are inadequate, but i will try.
We have known love and compassion for sure, but to experience it to the zenith, walk into a hospice house. It is a unique collection of souls. A place of physical and spiritual beauty. Residents, visitors and workers all ready to embracce you, hold your hand and offer words of wisdom to guide on this part of the journey. A journey filled with pain, tears, yearingng, reminiscing, laughter; friends from far and near, family, and the voices of ancestors who appear when you least expect them.
I sleep at the hospice house on a cot next to neil's bed.. When he woke this am, he said he missed the bus.. he got there too late and it left without him. He does not want to live like this..so dependent on others for everything. I talk to the wives of the other patients whose husbands are dying. We share a special bond that only we understand.
I came to the condo to take care of some things and phoned from there. Much to my surprise his voice was happy, excited and he was giggling so hard he cd barely talk.
What happened you might ask?
Before we enetered hospice house we had a hospice home team and a very special nurse, a young woman, with an old soul, Morgan Thomas.. She is 24, but can keep up with Neil's witt and humor and even one up him. They became quick friends and when she came to visit at our home , she sat on the bed, ate ice cream with us and we giggled together as we figured out our next move. She is no longer his nurse now that he entered the hospice facility, but today, on her day off from work, she made the trek to visit him. He was delighted and as I write this she is visiting. I could hear the joy in his voice.
Neil is one of the most creative, generous, compassionate people i have ever met .More on that in my next post.
cheryl
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