My mom, Katherine, wouldn’t want me to write you a somber story – not at all! That is just not who she was, even to her very last day at Hospice Halifax.
So, in her honour, will you let me tell you a funny story? It’s about a blanket.
When you think about a blanket, comfort and the feeling of a warm hug probably comes to mind? What probably doesn’t come to mind – is George Clooney!
Mom arrived at Hospice Halifax late last year. To be honest, she was so excited to get there she didn’t wait for us or the EMT transport – she took a TAXI! I met her at Hospice. Relief swept over me when I arrived, and I think Mom felt that too. She was immediately very relaxed and comfortable. It was the place where she wanted to be. She did call a cab to get there after all!
I learned very quickly that Hospice is not like being in a hospital. Hospice care is personalized and is about being taken care of completely: physically, mentally, and emotionally. This care extends to family and loved ones…and at no cost!
Kaitlin the Social Work and Program Manager, and Kristi the Music Therapist were wonderful.
They fed Mom’s spirit and passions. Kaitlin was also an amazing support to me and saw how much Mom felt at home and safe. Kaitlin said to me one day with a chuckle, “Your Mom is definitely living and being her full self here.”
She definitely felt at home to be herself and that was even before …“The Blanket”…
Kaitlin tells the story like this:
“
We wanted Katherine to join one of Kristi’s music events upstairs at Hospice, but she felt too cold. She said, ‘I’ll go up, but only if George Clooney keeps me warm.‘ But I didn’t know what she meant.
So, I asked Katherine, ‘I don’t understand, why would George Clooney keep you warm?‘ And she says, looking at me deadpan, ‘Think about it, Kaitlin. George Clooney: He’s hot, he’s HOT!’ Man, I laughed.
And then I thought, what about a picture of George Clooney on a blanket? Because as a blanket, he could literally keep her warm!
So, that’s what we did!
“
That’s Mom alright. And when I saw the blanket the day it arrived, I cracked up! It was hilarious and totally matched mom’s off-the-cuff sense of humour. There were a lot of jokes that followed about the blanket, some were a tad racy, but they kept us smiling through the tough times.
Who knew a blanket could spark so much joy and bring so much comfort!
Mom was very proud and excited to show off the blanket to everyone that came to visit her. “George” really did wrap her in warmth and love at Hospice. It was a very meaningful gift.
If you are wondering where the blanket is now: My daughter Brittany insisted she kept it when we collected Mom’s things from her room.
It remains treasured and is a reminder of the love and security she felt during her last days at Hospice Halifax, as well as her lively sense of humour.
I hope Mom and her story was able to give you a laugh too.
Thank you for reading,
Leslie.
