Two and a half weeks ago, Bob and his wife and I went for a walk in their neighborhood. It was a lovely Colorado day with sunny skies and clear air. We walked to their neighbor’s rock, which is Bob’s favorite spot to sit and rest. We all sat and rested and chatted a bit before heading home. Bob stopped to check the mail and grab the newspaper on our way back, just like he always does.
By that Friday, it was evident that his body was deciding to not work very well. Sunday, we brought Pathways Hospice on board to support our crew and provide the best possible care for Bob.
Tuesday, December 1st, was Bob and his wife’s 64th anniversary. He passed away peacefully that evening.
What is significant is that Bob was able to spend his final days in his own bed, in his own home. Most of each day his wife spent lying beside him while holding his hand. He had around-the-clock-care from our team; kind, compassionate, skilled carers who have cared for and loved Bob for the past many months.
Bob was one of the good guys; a good man who worked hard and loved his family. A good man who spoke fondly of his friends, most of whom had already passed from this life. Bob befriended the people in Egypt with whom he worked to help construct and operate major dams. He and his wife square-danced and camped in their later years. He was an electrical engineer at CSU and loved to putter with all things electrical in his garage and hobby room.
Each carer on the Better People Care team will carry the good that we learned from Bob with us into the rest of our lives. When we feed peanuts to the blue jays, love our families, work hard, enjoy our friends, and try our best to get rid of the squirrels from our back yards, we will think fondly of Bob. When we persist through life and its ups and downs, we will remember Bob and his persistence to the end. When we say “thank you”, we will remember how frequently Bob spoke these two simple words.
And we will know that he passed from this life in peace. And we will ever feel honor at the role we each played in preserving his dignity, and his independence, and his ability to remain at home. Bob got to finish well.
We love you, Bob, and are grateful that we got to be your team, your friends.
Sincerely and with fondness,
Jill, Lisa, Sarah, Alaina, Peggy, Easton, Isabelle, Patty
©Jill Couch
