My mom was brought to the inpatient hospice unit from CCU. We were greeted the first day with what my family called an 'ice cream party from Emily'. Mom had spent a few days with nothing to eat or drink and Emily was quick to provide my mom's first request, chocolate ice cream. In fact, for the next few days, mom requested Emily's ice cream floats for breakfast. Emily would come with breakfast in hand with her great smile and sweet conversation. Mornings had become Mom's favorite time of day. There were many times my mom would struggle to stay awake and remain strong for us. Emily could see this, and I heard her say to her 'it's ok, remember you are in charge here and when you get tired, you rest!' I could immediately see my mom's tension ease off.
I watched as Emily would assess Mom with her intuitive skills. These are skills they can't teach in school, they come with compassion, empathy, and a certain God-given talent. Emily seemed to know what we needed before it was even said. I knew every day of my mom's hospice stay that she was in good hands. On Mom's last day, Emily told us if there was anyone else wanting to visit, that they needed to go ahead and come. That was the day I witnessed how much my dad had grown to respect Emily. He would wait until she came in the room to ask questions for her that he wasn't asking anyone else. Emily's explanations, quick wit, and caring attitude shined through. It makes me think of something a coworker once shared with me, 'people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care'.
I watched her break down my dad's 'walls' with her ability to show how much she cared. We could not have asked for a better hospice experience and I thank Emily and the whole unit for such top-notch care. We will be forever grateful for all who made Mom's last days so special.