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Why I Swim for Hospicare
 | Liz Heywood and her daughters
(photo by Jon Reis
Jon Reis Photography) |
By Liz Heywood
Call me a mermaid. Instead of a tail I have a leg. I'm easy to spot on land (I'm the one on crutches before and after the swim) but we look alike in the water. It emphasizes the equality of involvement in a mile-long, free-style water-ballet across Cayuga Lake. Participating connects us all-swimmers, boaters, supporters-in the water or on shore; it links us into a community. That's why I swim.
This will be my third Women Swimmin' for Hospicare. I've loved water ever since I was a toddler toppled by a chilly wave on a Maine beach. As a kid I took lessons in chlorinated water, bobbed in salt water on Cape Cod, even swam my horses in murky ponds here in New York. I've only swam "seriously" since my amputation. I limped on a fused knee most of my life, and after thirty years my body had deteriorated. Amputation in 2007 was a radical solution to an inoperable dilemma. My transition through this trial-by-fire was made possible only with the support of people around me. A network of friends and relatives allowed me to turn limitation into achievement. It made me acutely aware: we need one another.
Read the whole story as a PDF here.
Liz Heywood is a writer and above-knee amputee. Her intrepid canoe paddler this year, as last year, is her partner Al Grover. Last year Liz and her daughter Corey swam together in Women Swimmin'. Liz lives in Spencer with her daughter Brock, who counts the days until she too can be a woman swimmin'. Please visit her personal page for Women Swimmin'.
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Women Swimmin' Videos
 | | Gladys Swimmin' |
With the 8th annual Women Swimmin' coming up on August 13th, Hospicare's event staff have put together a pair of entertaining and informative short videos about fundraising and participating in the swim. The videos introduce one of our newest swimmers, Gladys, and document both her fundraising efforts and "the big day" when she takes to the water! While we must admit that Gladys is an inanimate fictional character, she is a legitimate member of the Hospicare Team, the actual human members of which will be swimming in the event. We welcome donations to either: visit Gladys's personal page or Hospicare's team page to learn more and contribute, and see why donations are so important to Hospicare and to those we serve in the community. But don't forget to check out the videos:  | | Gladys Goes Fundraising |
 | | Women Swimmin' Safely! |
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Welcome Pauline Cameron, Director of Patient Services
 | Pauline Cameron, CHPN, RN
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On July 25th, we were delighted to welcome Pauline Cameron, CHPN, RN, as Hospicare's new Director of Patient Services. Pauline replaces Amy Lapoint who has accepted a nursing position close to her home in Watkins Glen. We wish Amy well and thank her for her many years of service at Hospicare. Of her background and interests Pauline shares the following: "Nursing was a midlife career change for me. I had a bachelor's degree in psychology from Cornell and had spent a number of years working at Cornell in the Computer Science Department, then, in my 40's, returned to school at TC3 for a degree in nursing. All through nursing school I felt drawn to caring for people at the end of their life. I took a course in "Care of the Dying," taught by Kate Milnor, and, after a guest talk by a nurse and volunteer from Hospicare, I asked Kate if I could do a summer externship at Hospicare. She replied, "Well, no one ever has..." and I said, "So??" She helped open the doors for me, and I spent the summer here between my two years of nursing school. I felt that I had found my professional home, and I never wanted to leave." Read the whole story as a PDF here. |
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Help from Hospicare
Q. My 10 year old son is driving me crazy! His Dad died a few months ago and at first I was letting him do what he wanted because I figured I should take it easy on him after his Dad died. Now he expects it that way all the time and won't do anything I ask, and gives me attitude. I am grieving too and I don't know how long I can take this. How do I get him to behave?This is something many caregivers struggle with. It's extremely hard to manage one's own grief and to be a parent. Growing up, children build and learn a fundamental trust in the world: that someone will care for them, that they can rely on a certain level of cause and effect (that if they do one thing, something else will happen). When someone a child loves dies, especially when it is a sudden death, that child has to comes to terms with something that is very hard for many of us to understand -- that someone is alive one moment and not the next. This can really diminish a child's sense of trust and also foster anxiety and insecurity. To counteract this, many children will act in ways that they know will incur a reliable outcome, to renew their sense of trust. For some children this becomes what is called "regressive behavior," when they act like an age much younger than themselves, reminiscent of a time of life when things felt more stable and secure. Other times, children may behave badly in order to bring about a consequence that they know -- that is reliable. It is very tempting to let rules and consequences slide for children after a death, but it is important to keep routines and consequences that they know to help them feel safe and secure. Doing this often keeps bad behaviors in check. It is also important for you to get the support you need in your grief, for your own well-being and for that of your son -- children are significantly affected by how their caregivers grieve and heal. Remember that you are not alone in this process. Please call Hospicare for further help or more resources to assist and support you. Help From Hospicare is an advice column written by members of the Hospicare team. Every month we will feature one question in the e-news, and archive the rest on our web site. If you have a question about hospice care, pain management, spiritual matters at the end of life, bereavement, or you're wondering what to say to a friend who just entered hospice care, you can email us and we will answer it for you. All Q&A responses will be published anonymously, and anyone of any age is welcome to ask a question! **Please note, if you need to speak to Hospicare staff or have a direct patient related question, please call 607-272-0212.
This month's question was answered by Kira Lallas, one of Hospicare's Bereavement counselors.
Read the archives online here.
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Save the Dates!
August dates include:
- Mindfulness Practice - Wednesdays 7:30-9:00 PM
- Women Singin' - August 2; 5:30-7:00 PM
- Evening Grief Group - August 3 and 17; 5:30-7:00 PM
- Tuesday Lunch Group - August 9; 12:00 PM
- Wednesday Breakfast Group - August 24; 8:30 AM
- Walk & Talk Through Your Grief - August 10 and 24; 5:30-6:30 PM
- Women Swimmin' - August 13; 6:00-11:00 AM
For more information on any of the above groups or events, please call 607-272-0212, or visit our web site to download a PDF of our current calendar.
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Our
mission is to bring medical
expertise and compassionate, respectful care to
people and their loved ones at any stage of a life-threatening illness,
and to
provide information and education about advanced illness, dying and
bereavement
to the entire community.
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In the News
The Good Short Life
Former New York Times contributor Dudley Clendinen talks about his own experience coming to terms with dying from Lou Gehrig's disease.
Music Therapy Helps the Dying
This New York Times article discusses the role music plays in easing suffering for the terminally ill.
Ways to Think About End-of-Life Care
The New York Times publishes a collection of letters-to-the-editor on end-of-life concerns.
Men Seek Gender-Specific Bereavement Groups
As this New York Times article discusses, bereavement manifests differently among men and women, an awareness reflected in Hospicare's own bereavement service offerings.
Hospice is a Great Deal in Health Care
Kathie Campbell, of the Hospice of the Panhandle, argues in the Martinsburg, West Virginia Journal that hospice care doesn't just improve quality of life -- it makes good financial sense, too. |
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Websites of Interest
Open Society and Palliative CareThe International Palliative Care Initiative works to improve end-of-life care for patients and their families, with a special focus on vulnerable populations including the elderly, children, and patients with cancer or AIDS. The Eden AlternativeAn international not-for-profit dedicated to transforming care environments into habitats for human beings that promote quality of life for all involved. Caregiving.comBlogs, updates, and information from caregivers, support groups, and others seeking to promote quality end-of-life care. |
Donate
Help terminally ill people spend the end of their lives peacefully and without pain.
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