I was telling someone the other day that my mom was receiving Hospice care, she looked crest fallen and said "I hear hospice and my heart breaks". I realized when I hear Hospice my heart fills with hope and comfort. The people we have encountered have made my moms journey a beautiful thing. They have provides all the comforts for her but also so much emotional support for our entire family. The nurses are professional, personable and truly love their jobs. The social workers are there to assist in every way possible. The volunteers are amazing!
I cannot thank Center for Hospice Care Southeast enough. Our journey is not over but I would not want to take another step without them.
I am first a volunteer, and a donor second. Whether it's sitting with a patient so their caregiver gets a break, or simply tranporting equipment to patients' homes, the Center for Hospice Care Southeastern Connecticut is a group I'm very proud to volunteer for. Our training is second to none and the staff especially qualified and helpful. I came to realize that it is an HONOR to be with these terminally ill patients, and an HONOR to interact with their families facing an utlimate grief. The mission and practice of easing the lives of these people is not just charitable, it is unique.
My parents both passed away at Hospice facilities in a different state. I am determined to continue volunteering and to help this particular agency achieve the reality of a Hospice residence in our area of southeastern Connecticut.
Being a parent of her first born diagnosed with Acute Lymphatic Leukemia was hard but what took our family down was the diagnosis of being out of remission and never being able to fight the cancer. Hospice came to us as our 12 year old son, Ethan was near the end of the battle. We as parents who had never experienced anything like this were so very lost with what decissions to make and all too proud to allow others in our home. We felt like no other person could care for our child like we could and being that he spend most of his life in hospitals...I forgot to mention that he also had cerebral palsy and also had other issues with seizures. Hospice Of SE CT came in and helped us. The gave us the information we needed, they assisted with every day needs so I could spend the final time with my son. Hospice's staff knew we were fragile and helped us gain the strength to move forward.
We ultimately decided to keep Ethan at home to live his last days with us. We also had days that he felt well enought to attend school, Hospice SE CT went into his school and worked with the staff in the elementary school to answer all of their questions and help them through this hard time..
Ethan passed in 1997, 4 months after his not being able to go into remission. For those four months Hospice was our family and our rock. We could not have been as strong as we were if it were not for them.
I now support Hospice of SE CT with all that I can. I feel honored to see them be able to grow into a Center for Hospice Care. I consider myself an advocate for Hospice Care.
When Ethan passed I remember at that moment looking at my husband and tearfully saying - "this is how I want to leave this earth, with the people I love around me" Hospice made that happen for us.