Hospice is about living

Soon, mom and I will begin volunteering in hospices. I have previously posted this (or maybe mom did ... i can't remember anymore! :) but with passing the interview yesterday at Allina and knowing that it won't be long before we can begin our work, I wanted to share Catherine Curran's story and the work of a fellow therapy dog, Sasha. Catherine's purpose was to create a video at the end of her life.

From the FoxTwins website: "Dying to me is not frightening at all," Curran said, nine months ago. "I'm kind of looking forward to what's coming." She had just entered hospice. She had pancreatic cancer. It was the beginning of what she called "the adventure of a lifetime."

"I just want to see what's happening," Curran said. We live in a society that likes to avoid the subject of you know what. But Catherine Curran hopes to change that, by allowing us to follow her journey to the end.

"I want to touch other peoples lives, let them realize, hey, it's just another part of living," she said.

She could try to fight the cancer with all her might and with every available means of medical technology. Instead, she'd rather focus on living her remaining days as comfortable as possible, at peace with the inevitable.

"I enjoy living and when I die I'm going to enjoy that too," Curran said. "I think there is a hereafter."

Catherine's adventure will include regular visits from Dave Kettering and therapy dog Sasha, who Curran calls a "big, fluffy angel."