Awesome AWESOME Story!

I was in a car accident a couple of days ago (no injuries, just some damage to my car) and was thinking about silver linings, and there is definitely one here.  You see, my accident may have changed someone's life for the better.

I had to go to the auto body shop yesterday to sign some papers.  They guy there is semi-young, I'd say no more than late-20's or early-30's.

He asked me what I do, and I said, "Hospice!  See?" and I held up my badge.  We got to talking, and though he used to be an EMT, he really didn't know what hospice was.

I explained what we do, and told him that we have a wish program at our hospice.  He asked for an example of a wish we've fulfilled, so I told him a story that just happened recently at our Portland branch.

We had a younger man on service who was dying of terminal cancer - stomach, I think - and did not want his family to know about it.  The day he sent his youngest off to college, he called us in and was put on hospice under our care.

He wanted a way to communicate with his family, to be there with them even after he was gone, so we arranged for a videographer to come in to record messages to them.  His final message was 30 minutes long, and everyone who has seen it was brought to tears.  (I haven't seen it yet, myself - I've been so, so busy!)

Graduating from college, getting married, having a child... he wrote a letter for every event in their lives, so they will "hear" from dad each time they reach one of those milestones, and know how much he loved them.

The young man I told this story to was so moved, he couldn't speak for a while.

"I used to be an EMT, but I obviously really didn't know what hospice was*.  We also did non-emergency transport, and I used to hear their stories.  It was great to get to know them, to really connect with them.  I was an EMT until I went into the military, and now I'm here," he said gesturing to the gravel lot we were standing in.  "I just wish... I just wish I could do something meaningful like that... " he trailed off again.

"So do it!  DO something!" I encouraged.

"Well I am... Right now I'm going to fix your car."

I just smiled and looked at him.  "Yep, and that will make ME happy."

In the end, he was thoughtful, realizing that he still COULD do something with his life (goodness sake, he's YOUNG, not 80!) so perhaps - just perhaps - the greatest silver lining to my car accident was this encounter with a man who wants to make a real difference in people's lives :gs_joy:

*For those who would like to know what hospice really is (and is NOT), please see the next post~!

A few key points about Hospice care:

• Hospice is for people with a terminal illness whose prognosis is six months or less if the illness follows its natural course.
  
• It does not mean giving up!! People often get better when they are on hospice services because of the care they are receiving. I can't give you our exact stats because my tracking info is at the office, but I know that we discharged at least fifteen people one month because they were no longer hospice appropriate! (They can ALWAYS come back on service if their health declines)
  
• The earlier an individual receives hospice care, the more opportunity there is to stabilize a patient's medical condition and address other needs. - this is a very important point that most people -- even doctors -- don't realize.
  
• Hospice is not just for the patient. The hospice team is also there to support the family.
  
• Hospice is for wherever a patient calls home, whether its their actual house, a nursing home, assisted living facility, or residential care.
  
• All hospices have a team of disciples that are involved, but the patient/family can decline services they don't wish to receive. They include: Medical Director, nurse, social worker, chaplain, home health aide, and bereavement. The hospice I work for also includes CAM therapy, which is Complimentary Alternative Medicine, and we are the only hospice who does. CAM therapy includes massage, acupuncture, music thanatology, etc. My apologies if you're not in Oregon! ;D
  
• If a doctor or facility tells you that you have to choose their hospice this is a lie and is illegal! The law says that the PATIENT (or family) can choose whatever hospice they want!
  

sorry about your car and glad that you emerged unscathed ... 

but talk about mysterious ways !!!


to make such a change is wonderful ... 

I can almost see the look on his face when he realized he could still do something medical/medically related

it sounds as if he loved his previous " calling "  .. medicine is a calling and gets into your blood ...

as does the need to help others.
 

we usually never know the effect we have on others.

but you do ..  


well done ...  


it is such an indescribable feeling when impacting others so positively.



the information on the hospice care is also a side benefit to all reading this ...

as not every one realizes what it is.



I think you got a two-fer !!!