Reaching the End Zone: Hospice Staff Go Long for Patient
Woven tightly into the fabric of his life, sports and a sense of brotherhood remain close at heart for Dennis, Hospice of the Red River Valley patient. Even with a …
Category: Patient & Family Stories
Passion for Learning Bonds Hospice Patient and Chaplain
Hospice care may not readily come to mind as an intersection for science and spirituality, but for one patient and his chaplain, the connection they’ve forged was built from discussions about these very topics.
Dr. Watson, a retired internist and a current patient receiving care from Hospice of the Red River Valley, approaches the world from a clinical, scientific perspective.
During...
Salute to Service: Hospice Cares for Veteran
For Bob, Hospice of the Red River Valley patient, the Pledge of Allegiance is etched in the fabric of his life and memories past, as he gazed contentedly out the window at his picturesque farmstead. He sat upright in a hospital bed in his bedroom, watching the comings and goings of life on the farm where he shared his...
True Grit: Patient Celebrates a Year on Hospice Care
For 365 days, Duane, Hospice of the Red River Valley patient, has received hospice care in his home, with his beloved wife, JoAnn, by his side. Each day is an adventure that Duane has met with true grit, gratitude and a little humor.
A year ago, Duane left the hospital for the last time with a three-week prognosis. His persistent...
Heart to Heart: Hospice Staff a Precious Aid to a Patient
Mark Twain once said, “Praise is well, compliment is well, but affection—that is the last and final and most precious reward that any man can win, whether by character or achievement.” Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Jenny, at Hospice of the Red River Valley, has earned that ultimate prize—affection—from our patient, Caroline.
At age 89, Caroline was accustomed to taking care...
A Dream Comes True for a Hospice Patient
[caption id="attachment_1423" align="alignleft" width="150"] Sonny with his daughter, Pam[/caption]
Sweet Surprise
On a rural farm in Ulen, Minn., a long-sought-after dream came true for Sonny, Hospice of the Red River Valley patient, when he received a phone call from Nashville, Tenn. On the other end of the telephone Sonny heard the voice of his favorite country music singer, Bill Anderson (also...
Enjoying the Comforts of Home with Hospice
Receiving a terminal diagnosis raises a flood of emotion. For those living in rural communities with limited medical resources, an additional fear can be the need to travel hundreds of miles for doctor’s appointments or face hospitalization in a city far from home.
When Marjorie Wright of Gwinner, N.D., received such a diagnosis, she immediately knew she wanted something better....
Sharing the Last Journey: A Love Story
“The love they shared and demonstrated was unbelievably strong—a relationship many people had never witnessed.”
“We have talked, and we have prayed we will be able to leave this earth together.”
Irvin and his wife of 69 years, Cora, shared this decision with their daughter, Pat, several times during the last months of their lives.
Irvin and Cora’s love story began...
Hospice: Providing Care No Matter Where You Call Home
For most people, calling Hospice to care for a loved one is a decision fraught with emotion. For Loretta Olson, it was a decision she faced twice in one year.
Loretta describes her father, Herman, as a determined and independent man. When he received a cancer diagnosis, it was understandably devastating. As his health deteriorated, Herman understood he could no...
