School: Villanova

Hospice care is something I experienced first hand prior to this year. In 2007, as my mother was in her final weeks battling stomach cancer, we moved her from our home to a hospice care facility. Although I was only twelve, I remember this move as the time I finally realized that her death was … Continue reading “Death and Communication”

Throughout my experience working with Seasons Hospice, my beliefs and expectations about end-of-life care have been profoundly challenged. I found myself surprised by the relative magnitude in which thoughts about my last few months on Earth scared me when compared to my thoughts on death. An issue that is brought up frequently, but is very … Continue reading “Frustration”

I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a hospice volunteer these past few months. Being a volunteer provided me with valuable experience and a better understanding of the cycle of life and the process of working with those who are nearing the end of life. I have had three patients during … Continue reading “My time as a hospice volunteer”

One of the most impactful relationships I have had through this hospice program was one that was very unexpected. I was asked to sit vigil by a nursing home for a patient who was deteriorating and was expected to pass away very soon. When I was called and asked to do this I was immediately … Continue reading “A Surprise Connection”

After starting the Hospice program and telling my friends and family about this new opportunity, I received responses such as, “That sounds depressing” and “Are you sure you want to do that?”. I knew that it was something that I wanted to do because I plan on being a medical professional one day, and I’m … Continue reading “The Journey”

My patient is a wonderful Indian Hindi woman who is passionate about her culture, her faith, and her family. She is extremely honest – some could even say she is hard to please. The relationship I had with her brought about something special. By the third or fourth visit she smiled when she saw me … Continue reading “Love and Dying”

Death is not the ultimate tragedy of life. The ultimate tragedy is depersonalization–dying in an alien and sterile area, separated from the spiritual nourishment that comes from being able to reach out to a loving hand, separated from the desire to experience the things that make life worth living, separated from hope. –Mitch Albom, Tuesdays … Continue reading “Tuesdays & Fridays with Rich”

Though death is a difficult topic to discuss, one that people often shy away from, it is as much a part of healthcare as life. As a student hoping to join the medical field after graduation, an obvious goal of mine is to be able to treat others and improve their health – to prolong … Continue reading “The 5 People You Meet In Hospice (Pt. 1)”

My experience with Hospice has been incredibly meaningful to me. Through this experience I have met students and faculty at Villanova as well as at the Hospice organization. The people I have met have been incredibly supportive of this emotionally challenging volunteer endeavor. My most meaningful relationship, however, is with my patient, Mary. I have … Continue reading “Reflections on my Hospice Experience”

I decided to apply to be a volunteer with Seasons Hospice because my mother was a hospice nurse for many years when I was a child, and I thought that it would give me some insight into the important work she did. What I did not anticipate about my experience as a volunteer was learning … Continue reading “Accepting Death as An Inevitable”