Raves, Rants & Roses

ROSE: Many people regard hospice as "the end," "death and dying," and some would have you believe "hospice is just closing the door and doing nothing."

All of this is very untrue. Hospice is not as much about end-of-life care as it is about quality-of-life care and comfort measures as one is completing his life's journey, and offering support to that person and their family throughout this time.

At the Hospice of East Texas, this care is given both at home and at the HomePlace in-patient facility on a daily basis. But these professional caregivers did not all arrive at their hospice destination without other experiences as well - they come from an array of specializations such as critical care, emergency care, emergency medical services, orthopedic, cardiac, medical-surgical, pediatrics, neurology, oncology, hemodialysis and home health, just to mention a few.

And, when faced with a recent outside emergency essentially occurring in their front yard, at the intersection of University Boulevard and Old Omen Road, when there was a three-car motor vehicle crash, guess who the "first responders" were?

Those dedicated Hospice of East Texas nurses, social workers, management and clerical people who are so accustomed to managing quality-of-life comfort care, now doing the immediate emergency stabilization of those victims involved in the crash, comfort for those stunned in disbelief, and handling a difficult situation until the fire and police departments and EMS could arrive.

And, these concerned individuals didn't stop their care when the fire, police and EMS arrived, but continued to work alongside with all until the last victim was on his way to the hospital. Only then did they look around, collectively sigh in relief, and walk back into their hospice world of care.

Hats off and halos to all those Hospice of East Texas professionals as well as the Tyler Fire and Police Departments and ETEMS for a true team effort.

Rita Rampy
Tyler