The hospice experience through the Athena Institute is one that will forever change my perspective. As introduced by Dr. Atul Gawande, the first fear that a doctor will experience is the fear that they will not be able to most effectively treat a patient or solve their problem. Although this worry did cross my mind … Continue reading “The Importance of Being Ready”
Category: Athena Hospice Program
this is for posts in the category of Athena Hospice
Re-evaluation of Death
Before deciding to become a hospice volunteer, I would say that my view towards death was a strong portrayal of how society views death – something that should be avoided at all costs. But, through the unique readings and meetings with other hospice volunteers, my views towards death have shifted dramatically. Although I wasn’t able … Continue reading “Re-evaluation of Death”
Emotional Comfort at the End of Life
I was paired with a patient for whom I will use the pseudonym Jane. When I first met her, she would not respond to my questions and even turned her head away from me in frustration when I spoke. So for our first meeting, I just watched an old Western movie with her before she … Continue reading “Emotional Comfort at the End of Life”
Hospice Care and the Importance of Companionship
I have gotten the chance to visit with three different patients through the Pre-Med Hospice program since the end of last fall. One of my more meaningful hospice patient relationships is with the patient I am currently seeing. Jerry is a senior who loves to talk and make friends with people, however, he has both … Continue reading “Hospice Care and the Importance of Companionship”
Greeting card
I remember the monitor beeps as I first walked into the room. It looked stale, the walls were white along with the sheets and the floor. I turned to my patient, her eyes kind, but her voice shaky. Her blue eyes were the only form of communication we had at our first meeting. I could … Continue reading “Greeting card”
A New Perspective on Death
While I have not been assigned to a patient yet, I can say that my experience interacting with other people that have had patients and people that work in hospices as their career was truly life changing. It opens your eyes as a student on the pre-medical track and even more generally, as a person. … Continue reading “A New Perspective on Death”
Take Two
The first patient I saw passed away one week after I got to know him. I knew his name, his background on paper, and that he liked philosophy. That’s currently all I know, and probably all I ever will know about him. I wasn’t expecting much for my second patient. The first time I met … Continue reading “Take Two”
The Good Physician’s Battle with Death
The Hospice experience in itself was unexpected but enlightening. Although I was not able to form a meaningful relationship with a Hospice patient due to scheduling circumstances, the prompts and meetings provided the framework to comprehend the faults within the indoctrinated mentality to use medicine as a means to prevent death. Doctors are trained to … Continue reading “The Good Physician’s Battle with Death”
The Lasting Impact of a Hospice Patient: Through the Gift of Learning
The world is a marble heart and everyone has a small piece within. The heart is fragile, broken, and disgustingly beautiful. When I started to volunteer, my knowledge grew to a different level than I have ever seen before. Growing up, I was taught that death was a way to celebrate our loved ones by … Continue reading “The Lasting Impact of a Hospice Patient: Through the Gift of Learning”
The Value of Life and Death
During my time with hospice, I was able to learn a lot about what it truly means to die a happy death. I enjoyed the enlightenment on this topic and its importance in applying it to my own life. Along the way I have gained a variety of lessons that I wish to implement in … Continue reading “The Value of Life and Death”