Dear Arbor Hospice Workers,

I am writing on behalf of my mom and myself. I want to somehow express my gratitude for your care and detailed attention during a very difficult time in our lives.

When I found out about hospice I had a set of ideas that I thought defined who you were and what you would do for my mother and my family. However, I have to tell you that since working with each of the wonderful people in your organization, I now have a much more enlightened view of the service you truly provide. For one thing, I had no idea that hospice had so many means of support. I no longer felt I was caring for my mom alone and, further, I felt I had the benefit of years of experience, knowledge and understanding regarding the dying experience. The support was all at once physical, emotional and spiritual. There was never a reason for me to need for anything, except of course, time for healing from the loss.

As I look back five days after my mom's passing, I am just beginning to understand the power and meaning of what just happened. I will sorely miss my mother. There is no way to avoid that. But during her final months here on this earth, I was given a gift in the caregivers, both at Glacier Hills and with Arbor Hospice. As a Christian, I know the power of prayer and belief in what God is willing to do for His children. My prayer had always been that my mother would have as little pain as possible, that she would remain as comfortable as possible, and that I could be there for her at the end. As this final chapter of her life unfolded, I found the answers to two of those prayers present in each passing day. But as you all know, dying brings changes. The other aspect of hospice I did not know was the education. There were so many changes, sometimes daily, sometimes surprising, but because of hospice, never shocking or frightening. I was educated in a timely and appropriate manner with each stage. I felt empowered with understanding to make good decisions about Mom's meds and how to help her remain physically and emotionally comfortable while ensuring she would still be able to wake up and be with us, even on her last day. For that, I will remain grateful and mindful of each of you. I cannot adequately express how much this meant to me and, eventually, my daughter who chose to stay with me during Mom's last three days. She was there with me when Mom breathed her last breath. Your thoughtful, kind, preseverant and insightful presence over the last weeks made it possible for us to face those moments with calm and confidence.

Please accept my deepest and most heartfelt thank you for all you did for me and my family. I now have a much better idea what hospice does, who hospice is and how powerfully beneficial it is to have them clse when a loved one is dying. But more than anything, I know that in a very short time period, I have been in the presence of truly dedicated people who are genuinely concerned with giving their patients honor, dignity and above all, comfort at a time of the direst need. Thank you for making my mom's passing the very best it could possibly have been.