What is hospice to you?
What is death?
Most cultures have some
Ideas and norms for death and dying.
In TV Land aka Hollywood,
It’s seldom as simple as this.
Death is a process. Not an event.
Most of us try to not think about it.
In simplest terms, Hospice
Is a program that Nursing offers
Where the focus goes from CURE
To CARE. When no cure can be had,
It’s time to focus on palliative care.
No heroics. No CPR. No machines.
Oxygen is ok. It’s for comfort.
Hospice is generally when a person
Has only 6 months to live.
Some groups say 2 years.
Hospice and Palliative care
Are finally emerging as a
Loving, acceptable option.
I would want it - no hesitation!
Once upon a time, very few people
have heard of hospice.
Now just about everyone knows someone
Who is on hospice care.
And yes. Roll up a fat one-
Whatever you like. This is your time.
And no one should take it from you.
All rules are out. All consequences- gone.
Many people plop their hospital bed
Right in the living room or den.
Better for visitors.
More room. Many machines.
More centrally located.
Homeless people are eligible for care
if your Social Worker can make it happen.
Kids of all ages can access hospice.
Kids of all ages can access hospice.
Everyone in the bed! Pile up!
Even Doggo, if you find it comforting.
I love the Monks and Nuns.
I’ve had many Buddhist cases.
Very beautiful process.
Much respect for the dying.
Beautiful chanting. Such a privilege
To witness and support.
This is the Bardo Blanket
That covers the dying Buddhist.
To help assure success
In the Next Life.
No touching the body until
a certain amount of time has passed.
Just the Nurse’s stethoscope
touches the chest
to listen for heart beats-
by law we listen for 2 to 5 minutes.
Canada has passed a law
MAID
Medical Assistant In Dying.
A person takes a heavy dose of medication
(By their own hand)
To make them comfortable
While they end their own life.
It’s medically supervised.
This is a Swedish “Death Pod.”
The actual name is a Sarca Pod.
The dying person must be fully awake
Fully aware, and must touch the buttons
With no help. Not assisted suicide.
Just death with dignity.
There is also a “Live” button
If the person changes their mind.
American society is not quite ready for this.
Maybe because of Kevorkian?
Maybe because we value life?
(Do we really?)
The Death Penalty makes people
Assoiciate death with punishment.
Grace & Frankie had this storyline.
An old friend had a terminal condition.
And rather than go through the suffering,
She chose euthanasia.
I had a friend in real life who did this.
I was mixed about it, at first.
Now, I’m OK.
Some people think we are ferried
To our new destination.
Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
And her body of grief work.
She reported she was visited
By patients who had just died!
But what do we really know?
Probably very little.
In the movie Zorbo, an old lady died,
And the townspeople raided her place
Even as she was taking her last breath.
It’s funny because it’s true!
People really do this.
Hospice is the best, most humble
And honest form of Nursing.
Anything goes.
And we’ll be right by your side.
And yes. There is even a
Hospice for babies.
Hospice is a promise.
We help dying people maintain
Dignity and autonomy.
We can’t control much.
But we can control pain.
There is virtually no limit
To the amount of Morphine
(Part of the comfort pack)
A dying person can have.
They can have as much as they need.
The rules change for Hospice.
Side note: Hospice Nurses handle
Such vast amounts of narcotics.
We must pass monthly background checks
And on-demand drug screening.
(They hand you the cup. You pee.)
Hospice Nurses are typically
Squeaky Clean.
Thank you for reading!
I hope this helps.
As you might be able to tell,
I love Hospice the most.
Death be not proud…
John Donne and the Holy Sonnets
Have you seen the movie “Wit”?
Here’s a nice takeaway.
Please enjoy. Mascara alert!
