This Is Why

By Elizabeth M Vansyckle

I think all of us who are blessed to be able to work in hospice are asked. "Why?"

Why do you feel called to this type of patient care? Where do you find the emotional strength? How can you be with people as they die?

These wondrous souls, I am sharing with you, show not only the healing and transformation they found, but I found as well.

The prose is mine and comes from the depth of understanding that found my heart and added to the journey I was privileged to take with them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth M Vansyckle
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370081363

Elizabeth M Vansyckle

Elizabeth Vansyckle is a retired nurse who was a hospice nurse throughout her forty year career. Raised in the Salvation Army as a young child, she learned the greatest person you can be is one of service. And, as an United States Army veteran, she found that being a hospice nurse made her the very best possible nurse in any setting. Throughout her career she also was a surgical nurse and feels that the ability to ease a patient’s fears in the few minutes before surgery came from that place in hospice of holding the calm space and giving that sense of quiet and trust. She welcomes you to her blog: movetowardhealing.blogspot.com

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Preface

The structure of care for symptoms, and emotional, and family support was the initial premise of hospice as applied by Dame Cicely Saunders. Dame Saunders founded the first modern hospice in London in 1967.

In 1969, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s book, On Death and Dying, brought the concept of hospice to more of the world and identified the five stages through which many terminally ill patients progress. She made a plea for home care and argued that patients have the ability to participate in the decisions that affect their care.

It wasn’t until 1979, with the approval of The Health Care Financing Administration, that hospice in the United States started. Demonstration projects were begun all over the United States. Their purpose was to help determine what hospice should provide.

September 1979

was the beginning of my journey

with hospice.

Acknowledgements

It took a long, long time to find someone I trusted with my stories. Someone to help me make sure they represented the love I have for these families.

Anita Dickason, of Mystic Circle Books & Designs, is that treasured someone. She saw the heart in each story, and I trusted her to lead me to better structure and form.

Not only are the graphics and fonts the art I couldn’t have even dreamed of for my book; her guidance made my stories clearer.

There just aren’t enough words of thanks I can give to you, Anita. Please know my heart is forever