Sunday, February 8, 2009

Death and Dying Center in Maui

http://doorwayintolight.org/vision-mission-a-action.html

New Career of Midwife for the Dying

http://agentleguide.com/index.html

Laura Flores Friend Miki

My Dear friend Laura,
It is amazing that you have sent this email to me. I have a deep respect and concern for Hospice. Here's why.

My dear husband Bill passed away last August 30, 2008. One day after my birthday. I'll try to tell the story thru my tears and broken heart.

Bill had prostrate surgery 11 years ago and all was contained and fine. In March of 2007 during his regular physical and blood tests his PSA had risen to 386 in 14 months. After many many test, scans, etc the urologist told us he had matastized prostrate bone cancer. He was put on a hormone sparing drug and the Urologist sent us to a cancer specialist and they both agreed statistics say about a year and a half left of life according to the speed that his cancer was traveling. It had already spread to most of his body. His scans showed many many hot spots in his spine, ribs, shoulders, arms hips and pelvic area and a few in his legs.
We could not or didn't want to believe he was dying and he was so precious and stayed optimistic throughout the year and a half trying to hold me up emotionally. He was smiling until the last 8 days. The Dr called Hospice and they came to our home on June 30th. We were under their care until his last days. I will tell you I don't know what I would have done without the special angels. They were so kind, knowledgeable, comforting and treated us with the utmost respect for our wishes. Bill did not want to go to the hospital so I cared for him for 6 months and during that time we became closer that we had ever been before. Mind you we were very very close during our 48 years of marriage and loved each other with all our hearts. Our girls spent the last days with us and with me afterwards and they were also a God send. I'm progressing thru my grief with the help of Hospice and my church Grief Support Group but Laura, this is truly the hardest thing I have ever attempted. That is why I have not written nor responded to most of your emails as I just couldn't think straight. For that I apologize. I think of you often. I am very happy to hear that your friend is continuing this effort. I'm not strong enough at this moment to offer my thoughts but feel free to forward this email to her if there is anything in my words that may help her.
I attached the last "happy" photo taken New Years Eve 2007 and his photo we used for the Memorial which was taken at a Hughes Christmas Dinner about 1998 (My favorite photo of him).
My love and hugs to you,
Micki

Larry's Post

Corey:

First of all I am very impressed with your resourcefulness and creative thinking. I think you are definitely on to something and I have a very relevant suggestion that I hope your Mom will help you with.

I someone in New Orleans who is running a hospice in New Orleans that could give you some good advice. I forgot his name or the name of his facility but do remember that he was a good friend of Shelley Shubach and I met him and his partner once or twice socially. I don't think that Shelley is in N.O. now but could be located if her email address is the same as it was when I knew her: curlygrrl@aol.com or curleygrrl@aol.com

Otherwise, Mom might know these people or the hospice and can get info from phone book or maybe you could Google Hospices in N.O. and find them.

Keep me posted.

Larry

Susan Tiner Response

Hi Corey,

I am home sick with a cold, and procrastinating on a project due for another
client, so I'll write a quick response.

I have always liked your vision, and my first thoughts are that as with any
new enterprise, be it profit or non-profit, it's a good idea to do some
market research and then some market testing. I also like the idea of
focusing on one or two key services first, building relationships with and
referring to other providers initially for the other services.

I know you missed the 2008 Craigslist Foundation Book Camp, but here's a
link to podcasts:
http://www.craigslistfoundation.org/index.php?page=Nonprofit_Boot_Camp_Onlin
e

The In-Symmetry business model is centralized--clients go there for
services. However, acutely and terminally ill patients are often home bound
if not hospital bound, so your model would have to allow for providing
services in place.

I would think you'd want to narrow your clientele to one or a few niche care
segments, e.g., terminally ill and acutely ill, instead of the full spectrum
of illness. I say that because in building relationships with other
organizations, I think you'll find they're pretty specialized too.

Let's say you begin by focusing on skin care and massage for the terminally
ill. In that case I would definitely recommend connecting with local Hospice
to see what the possibilities are in terms of hooking into their existing
patient population to provide services.

By the way, my mother has been a Hospice nurse on Eastern Long Island, NY
for nearly 20 years. She is 76 now, but sill works almost full-time as the
Volunteer Coordinator managing 150 volunteers.

I admire Hospice, and really support your decision to move in this
direction.

Love & Hugs, Susan

___________________________
Susan D. Tiner
Tiner Financial Services
http://www.tinerfinancial.com/

Stefanie's Response to Original Email

Corey!
I am very impressed! You continue to amaze me with your thought processes and motivation and commitment to following your heart. This idea is wonderful. And only someone with your talents could bring it all together! It will be a huge undertaking, but ultimately you will be surrounded by likeminded people, living your purpose here, and helping people in a way only few can. Its so you!
I see the centers decorated in a modern comfort style, sort of like a nice spa, or like one of the nicer shopping passages in Las Vegas, but not so loud! Multiple rooms with all the different services to pass by, some with windows, some without, depending on privacy issues at hand. Don't forget about having an acupuncturist/herbalist for treating whatever conditions may arise in patients. For some reason I am picturing it to be like the Private Practice offices, have you seen that show? It doesn't look like a hospital/treatment center at all.
I would love to be on your brainstorming list, so keep me posted. You know my trouble with this subject matter, so I cannot even start to think about what would comfort me at the time of my death or my loved ones. Proof of a world beyond sure would help. can you work that one out for me?
I am excited for you! brings me comfort to have a friend facing this issue which is most disturbing to me! HA! I just discovered what would comfort me - YOU, and people like you! People unafraid of death with encouraging words.
anyway, that's all for now!
talk soon
s

Welcome

Hello Friends and Family,
Thanks to my good friend Laura Kaplan's suggestion... I am going to post all of our ideas and see what it forms into. I am hoping I can figure out how to let you post suggestions and such.

Thank you for all of your amazing responses and ideas. This is giving me the energy to keep it moving.

Hope this finds you well.
C ~