A few years ago I had a friend who had a serious illness and eventually was in hospice. I wished that I had heeded my mother's advice and visited her sooner rather than later. At the time I had been in denial that my friend really was as sick as she was. I did end up visiting her but unfortunately for me she was pretty far gone when I finally made my appearance. My friend knew she had a visitor but I'm not convinced that she remembered who I was.I am glad I visited her and it was good for her to have had a visitor but it would have been better had I visited her when she still would have known who I was and when she still could have a coherent conversation.
As luck and life would have it I have been given the opportunity to do better another time. I have another friend who is now in hospice care. I visited him in the hospital right before he was admitted to hospice care. It was hard to look at him but his spirit was still there and he had his wits about him.
Today I visited my friend in the hospice. I am not sure there are not many people who can say that when they left from visiting a friend who is hospice that they were smiling. My friend looked a lot better than he did when he was in the hospital. His hair is gray but his skin no longer is. He actually looked healthier. He is also such an inspiring person. When I entered the room he offered me seltzer for hachnosas orchim. At first I thought he was asking me to pour him some seltzer but alas he was offering me some seltzer. I was in awe.
Its not that there was deep conversation during my hospice visit but It was so nice to see that though my friend is in hospice his spirit and personality is still there. I was so happy to visit and see that he was still himself, still with his sharp humor and kindness. I left smiling and felt glad to have visited a friend and not like I was "just" visiting someone in hospice.
As luck and life would have it I have been given the opportunity to do better another time. I have another friend who is now in hospice care. I visited him in the hospital right before he was admitted to hospice care. It was hard to look at him but his spirit was still there and he had his wits about him.
Today I visited my friend in the hospice. I am not sure there are not many people who can say that when they left from visiting a friend who is hospice that they were smiling. My friend looked a lot better than he did when he was in the hospital. His hair is gray but his skin no longer is. He actually looked healthier. He is also such an inspiring person. When I entered the room he offered me seltzer for hachnosas orchim. At first I thought he was asking me to pour him some seltzer but alas he was offering me some seltzer. I was in awe.
Its not that there was deep conversation during my hospice visit but It was so nice to see that though my friend is in hospice his spirit and personality is still there. I was so happy to visit and see that he was still himself, still with his sharp humor and kindness. I left smiling and felt glad to have visited a friend and not like I was "just" visiting someone in hospice.
