Loving Choices, Peaceful Passing: Why My Family Chose Hospice |
Bob Vallee
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Meet Bob ValleeWhen Bob received the devastating diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, he was given four weeks to live, without treatment. At the end of the third week of radiation his throat was so swollen he could not eat or drink. His wife Maryanne, and daughters Kathleen and Anne, knew the radiation was killing him faster than the cancer.
Like millions of his fellow Americans, Bob was rapidly headed for a terrible death in the hospital, enduring more futile radiation. When the doctor said he would need a stomach tube to continue treatment, the Vallee family said “no” and found another way. Choosing hospice care is not “giving up.” On the contrary, the last 29 days of Bob’s life were some of the richest of his 80 years on earth. He was able to live comfortably at home with the help of the hospice nurse and other professionals. Choosing hospice is not a death sentence, choosing hospice is an act of love. Offered here is an intimate account of how the myriad end-of-life decisions affect a family. It is a story of acceptance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and finally, awe for the fragility of life. |
Kathleen Vallee Stein
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About KathleenKathleen Vallee Stein is a Los Angeles based author whose opinion pieces have appeared in newspapers and magazines, including: Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Orange County Registrar, and the Jewish Journal.
Stein's book Loving Choices, Peaceful Passing, Why My Family Chose Hospice is about her family's experience with hospice care for her father and is now available anywhere books are sold online and at Vroman's bookstore in Pasadena. |
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"With warmth and courage Kathleen Vallee Stein describes both the personal and universal journey of caring for a family member during their final days. The story of her family draws you in and provides support for exploring the complex emotional and spiritual terrain of end of life."
J Judy Thomas, JD, Coalition for Compassionate Care of California
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Download a Free Medicare and Hospice Guide SheetBased on years of working for Medicare, I've put together a handout that I give out at all my talks. It walks you through what Medicare covers with hospice, how to find a hospice provider, and gives helpful links for creating advance health care directives. This is my gift to you. No email required.
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