Remembering Hospice

Hospice is probably a rather morbid subject for a blog, but it is a majority of my life. Talking to nurses, talking to families, billing, filing, hearing about death every single day. When I moved down here over two years ago to take this job, I didn't really know what hospice was about. You learn fast...and even get over the odd topic of death on a daily basis. But the odd thing about this job is when someone asks you what you do for a living.

"I'm an office manager for a hospice."

"Really? My (fill in the blank) was on hospice..." And on the story goes. Through tears, I get the tale of their grandmother, their father, or some close relative who was put on hospice and the wonderful service that saw them through the last hard days of their loved one's life. I then get praised for the job I do as if pushing papers, crunching numbers and answering phones is amazing. I always tell them its the nurses and our other staff that are amazing. I just keep the wheels turning.

Our social worker is working on the memorial service we have every year for the families of those who have passed away. She's new and this is her first one, so she is brimming with ideas. We're doing the invitations this afternoon. She's had roses donated for the service. We've talked about candles. And today she stopped by a nursery just to see if we could get a donation of trees or flowers to give to the attendees in remembrance of their loved ones. Like me, she knows nothing about plants, so she went in blind.

First she spoke to a very busy cashier who said she would have to talk to her manager. The cashier returned and said they could do 20% off. Susan didn't think that was a great deal, but she browsed around and came upon some pansies she really liked. A man came up and asked if he could help her. She noticed he was a manager (not the same one asked before) and told him about what she was doing. He teared up and told her his grandmother had been on hospice, telling her the story of his experience. Then he said he could do 30%, but he'd need to run it by his manager. Which he went to do.

His manager came out to meet Susan, tearing up and telling her that her granddaughter had been on hospice and what a wonderful experience it was. She then said she would donate free of charge 50 pansies for our memorial service. Not only that, but they are going to make little cards and tie them to the plants with ribbons explaining the meaning of a pansy: remembrance.

Right there in the store, Susan exclaimed, "God is so good!"

"Yes, He is," the first manager she had spoken with agreed. "He led you here today."

"Amen!" Susan said.

And so He did. Just as He leads all of us - a reminder I sorely need.