I remember always being fascinated by nature. Even as a young child I was in awe of the complexities of living things. It is not surprising that I ended up seeking a degree in biology and ultimately medicine. As I proceeded through higher education, my amazement of the human body and mind increased exponentially. The…
On this very brisk spring day, I have been looking over some of the copies of the Comforter that have appeared over the past 10 years. And I have to say that I can hardly believe I’ve been here at Hospice of the Panhandle for 10 years. It seems like the blink of an eye!…
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Three Italian Greyhound puppies scurry up into their “daddy’s” lap, nestling in a plush tan oversize blanket that covers Gene Mulder’s legs. On this frigid but bright, sunny winter day, Bella, Luci and Pia find a comfortable spot, and quiet down. “They’ll stay that way,” said Gene’s wife, Lynn. “They…
Having experienced the compassion of hospice care with family members and friends, Mike Everhart and his family knew that hospice care was exactly what they wanted when he was diagnosed with lung cancer in addition to the heart disease that already made it difficult for him to breathe. Mike entered hospice care in September 2017.
When Brigadier General V. Wayne “Speedy” Lloyd was diagnosed with a fast-growing brain tumor, he wanted to get back to his home among the West Virginia hills.
“I started my life here,” General Lloyd told his sister, Dottie Lorenz. “And I want to end it here.”
Dottie knew that she would need help bringing her brother home. She would need the support of Hospice of the Panhandle.
By Maria Lorensen, Development Director Gratitude. That’s what Diane Stewart feels in response to the care her late mother, Gladys Singhas, received at Hospice of the Panhandle’s Inpatient Facility last summer. Singhas, 92, was admitted to Jefferson Memorial Hospital in May following an illness. She had been suffering from dementia for some time, and doctors determined…
Robert “Bush” Seem wasn’t sure he’d be able to see his son, Stephen, walk down the aisle on his wedding day. With chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, Bush often found himself short of breath. Even walking short distances was difficult. As the wedding day drew nearer, Bush wasn’t confident he could make the more…
Unlike many families, Marie Luksa and her family were very familiar with the care and support hospice provides. Her husband, Andy, had been a Hospice of the Panhandle patient years ago.
The suggestion of hospice care came as a shock to Yvonne See, a retired paramedic from the Hardy County Emergency Ambulance Authority. Although she had been relatively healthy, she went to the emergency room for what she thought was severe heartburn