Nicole Ziehl: In Her Words…

In 2007, my grandparents moved to Casper from their ranch near Lusk so that I could take care of them both more intensively. My grandpa was in chronic kidney failure. My grandmother was a stroke survivor and was going to need help with managing his health. He was growing tired of the rigors of kidney dialysis. Grandpa told us that he was ready for hospice, and we chose as a family to utilize the inpatient service of Central Wyoming Hospice.

A few years later, my grandma, Velma, was living near us west of Casper. She had a few health scares. I was needing someone else to know her since she was not from here. My family were the only people she knew in town. I reached out to the Transitions program, and Kristeen was eager to help us and find a volunteer that was willing to take a drive to the country. When we met Jean, Grandma and I loved her. Little did we know that that friendship would last eight years. She and Kristeen would take turns coming out and play Rummy with her, and she greatly enjoyed their company.

As we fought through the general decline of health, we chose to move to an assisted living center in Casper. She had fallen and was not doing well with her health. She went into the Hospice program while at the assisted living center as she had made her choice to not artificially prolong her life. She was able to recuperate and exited the hospice care plan. We slipped right back into the Transitions program, and Jean and Kristeen continued to visit her at the assisted living center. Jean even attended the Mother's Day tea with us.

A year later, another step down in health lead us to needing to move to a nursing home. Again, she qualified for Hospice care. The staff of hospice worked with the staff of the nursing home to ensure her wishes for her end of life were occurring. Sixty days later, she rebounded again and was again dismissed from the program. Jean was always faithful in coming to see her. A familiar face other than mine was comforting to me.

One more change of care location occurred when I purchase a house in town, and I moved in with Grandma. I used the services of a home health company. I was able to split my time between my home with my kids and husband and staying with her. This is when I was blessed to have the Community Respite Program available through CWHT. She was able to go stay at the Kloefkorn home for a week at a time. It was a well needed break for me. When we arrived there was always the aroma of bacon frying. She never refused a second breakfast. She sat at the table and was able to look out the door on the garden. Volunteers would come and sit with her. Grandma had some dementia and would often be "very busy" and the volunteers helped the staff keep her out of trouble. I am eternally thankful for the extra hands that allowed me time to celebrate Christmas with my family, travel on a family trip, and even host a party to celebrate my daughter's high school graduation. She was well cared for, and I appreciated the respite for myself.

While living at the house, we entered and exited hospice three times. I used to joke and say that my grandma was like a bouncy ball that was dropped from the ceiling. She would bounce back quickly from health incidents in the early parts of her 80's. She would maybe not bounce quite as high, but would continue to bounce. As she neared 90, she would bounce, roll, and then bounce just closer to the ground. In the September of her 91st year she took a fall that she couldn't bounce back from. A broken pelvis with a mandatory two weeks in bed was more than this active pioneer of a woman could handle. We entered hospice for the last time. In her final week, she wasn't alone for very long. So many people who had come to know her at hospice over the years came to check on her and say good-bye. Even the front desk personnel who knew her from her shopping trips to the "boutique" during her respite stays came to check on us. Volunteers and off duty staff stopped and played her tunes on the violin. Our family joined us from out of town, and we were always made to feel at home. Our sweet friend Jean was by her bedside on the days before she died. I can't think of a better way to leave this world than feeling adored. Velma was adored at Central Wyoming Hospice. I ADORE them.

—Nicole Ziehl