Some people believe everything happens for a reason.
Nancy Riddle of Independence Township has spent many hours over the past seven years as a volunteer with Genesys Hospice in Goodrich, a facility that providing comfort and care to the terminally ill, and their families.
It all started in the 1970s when Nancy Riddle’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. It didn’t take long for the cancer to metastasize to her kidneys, and she suffered 10 long years with cancer pain.
Finally unable to care for herself, Riddle and her family made the difficult decision to place her mother in a nursing home.
‘Every crisis she had, they got ambulance and took her to hospital,? said Riddle. ‘She got very confused. They would give her some morphine and ship her back to the nursing home.?
The same series of events occurred over and over, she said, usually between five and ten times every week. The situation took a heavy toll on everyone involved.
Riddle eventually placed her mother into a foster home for the sick and elderly, but decided a local hospice organization was worth looking into, as well.
And that’s when everything changed.
When hospice nurses came in, the crises were calmed, the pain was managed and the angry bedsores healed.
‘When she died it was down to one tiny, tiny bit of a bedsore, that’s all that was left,? Riddle said. ‘She was so at peace, where before she had been so confused and in so much pain. It made it easier on the entire family, as well as on my mother.?
It was that sense of relief that prompted Riddle, several years after her mother’s death, to look into becoming a hospice volunteer.
‘I was just kind of kicked back thinking, boy, I’m going to enjoy my retirement,? she said. ‘But I found myself being restless a little bit.?
So, while she wasn’t looking for something to do, someone, it seemed, was looking for her.
As she drove home from a visit with her mother-in-law one afternoon, Riddle passed by Genesys Hospice in Goodrich.
‘I looked at the place and I thought ‘I wonder if they could use volunteers??? she said. ‘I went in and they said ‘oh yes,? they could use volunteers.?
Recently retired from her career as a registered nurse, Riddle decided she wanted to provide the same kind of comfort she once received to others who were struggling with the imminent death of a loved one.
She had a tour of the facility, took home some pamphlets and didn’t need much convincing to go through the required training.
When she learned everything they wanted her to know, Riddle began learning from her own patient encounters what it was like to make a difference’a real difference’in the end-of-life experience of another person.
‘I wrote letters, I read books, I held hands,? she said. ‘What made it really rewarding was two instances when I was out in public and someone came up and gave me a hug and said ‘you probably don’t remember me but I remember you. You were the volunteer who helped my mother.? And that made me feel so good that they remembered that.?
Then one day an upbeat resident by the name of Joyce Burrow said to Riddle, ‘I don’t have to sit here and die. I can be helpful.?
Those words gave life to the first Genesys Hospice craft show.
Employees and volunteers loaded Borrow’s room with crafts, and decided to have a show.
Small as it was, the homemade crafts brought in a fair amount of money’money that over the years was used to buy airline tickets for a last visit by families who couldn’t afford a ticket, money for birthday and anniversary parties, or to bring in fresh flowers and buy gifts for patients to give as a remembrance to their husband, wife’or perhaps, in one young man’s case, to his mother.
‘Just before Christmas we took some of the money we earned from the craft show and bought a gold heart-shaped necklace that said ‘Mom? with a heart going through it,? said Riddle, remembering the 21-year-old man who wouldn’t see the New Year ring in. ‘She opened it up and put that necklace on and she was crying and he was crying and we were crying.?
He died two days later.
‘His mother said it was a happy death,? Riddle remembered, ‘because he realized he could still give to his mother. It was something I’ll never forget.?
The Genesys Hospice volunteers held the first craft show in 2000, and the money raised made such a positive impact that Riddle now spends all her volunteer hours focused on fundraising.
‘We started building on that every year until now,? she said, ‘and we decided to really expand it and invite professional crafters.?
The craft show is ‘going big time.?
‘We’re very excited about it,? Riddle said. ‘Very excited.?
This year the even will include a petting zoo, bubble station, bake sale, raffles and an auction. About 50 handmade quilts will be available for sale, as well more than 40 vendors with quality items such as jewelry, purses, homemade fudge, candles, pottery, caricature drawings, woodworking, garden ornaments, birdfeeders, and roasted almonds.
Organizing such a large show was a great deal of work, but Riddle said it was worth every minute.
‘I guess it’s a selfish reason,? she said. ‘Some people hear ‘hospice? and say ‘oh, how can you do that?? but it’s not about me. It’s about making that person feel good and when you make someone feel good you float out of this place. It might deal with death and everything, but you just feel so good.?
The staff feels much the same way.
‘We truly believe this is a patient’s home when they come here,? said Mike Merrill, director of volunteer services at Genesys Hospice. ‘It’s not just for the patient, it’s for the family and children, too. If they want to stay over night or participate in care, they can absolutely do that.
The facility is also pet friendly, and it’s not unusual for a pet to arrive stay with the owner.
A brightly painted room stocked with toys, video games and a television is available for children.
‘It’s a nice place where they can go and play,? said Loraine Travis, assistant volunteer coordinator, ‘and not have to deal with grown up things.?
Genesys Hospice, which is affiliated with Genesys Health System is always happy to hear from anyone interested in volunteering. Volunteer trainings are held 2-3 times each year. Call Volunteer Services at (810) 606- 5100 or toll free at 1- 888- 606- 8731.
The craft show takes place Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 on the Genesys Hospice grounds, located at 7280 South State Road (M-15) in Goodrich.
To participate in the craft show, or for more information, call Wendy Wilson at 810-636-5004 or Nancy Riddle at 248-625-3616.