I chose how I wanted to Live
For Barry, turning to a hospice meant enjoying the scones his wife baked, joining his friends on walks through the neighborhood on his scooter, and watching his grandsons on the basketball court. In his last course of treatment for cancer, he found himself constantly feeling awful – unable to eat, not tasting what he did, so weakened and sick that the extra few months the treatment might bring him were not filled with the “life” he wanted to enjoy.
Deciding to set up hospice was a chance to focus on how he wanted to live and connect to the resources that would help him do that. After arranging for home care through Merrimack Valley Hospice, Barry’s hospice nurse, Lisa, visited weekly, scheduling his care around his life. She adapted his medication delivery to a time that worked best for him and his wife’s daily plans and arranged her nursing visits to fit into his schedule. And she was responsive to their concerns and needs whenever they arose. Together, they worked to improve the quality of Barry’s life, understand and honor his wishes and reach his goals.
“Some people wait too long to enjoy the benefits of hospice. I knew I wanted to get the most of life. When you stop chasing time, you can start making use of the time you do have for the things that are important to you. Deciding on hospice, I chose how I wanted to live.”