Margaret's Story

Margaret was very sick; she had lost 30 pounds in one week and wasn’t allowed to drink water because it would cause her legs to swell. Her daughter, Deb, rushed from her home in Colorado to be with Margaret and help her through.

Margaret, her kids and her home health nurse had a meeting to discuss hospice. Margaret didn’t like the idea at first – she had always thought being on hospice was like giving up. But after learning that hospice was going to make her more comfortable, she decided to give it a try.

With hospice, Margaret can live in her own home by herself. She can have a glass of water whenever she wants it, and if she doesn’t want to take certain medications, she can discuss with her nurses about finding alternatives. She doesn’t have to worry about getting out to appointments for multiple doctors or picking up prescriptions. And she considers her nurse and nurse aide not just health care providers, but good friends.

“They give you that feeling that they really care about you. They’ll sit and visit with you. And they provide so much. I’ve just got everything I need,” Margaret said. “The greatest thing is just being in my own home. I’m so happy to be here. I couldn’t do that without hospice.”