Jim Wilson is a remarkable man. His eyes sparkle with intelligence, humor and kindness, and his home reflects a sense of whimsy and fun. He also has late-stage lung and intestinal cancer. Jim received his ‘official’ diagnosis in September of 2013. Jim had been a caretaker for his wife who lost her life a few months before, and during that time he knew something was wrong. So when he made the appointment so see a doctor, he wasn’t surprised to receive the diagnosis of cancer. Although, he wasn’t as prepared to hear he only had 3 to 4 months to live.
His doctor provided two possible courses of action. Jim could undergo chemotherapy, which may extend his life to 6 months. Or, he could opt for palliative (comfort) care and engage the services of hospice. Jim chose the latter and was admitted for care with Hospice of the Foothills.
This has been a tough morning for Jim, who still lives at home alone. He feels weak, tired and it was hard just getting out of bed. Jim’s road since his diagnosis hasn’t been easy. But, he’s both a realist and pragmatist. “It is what it is”, says Jim. He understood that in his situation, he needed to realign the goals and dreams for his life. So, he set the aggressive goal of reaching his 70th birthday, a goal he reached on July 4, 2014. He has set a new goal for himself that reaches forward to the month of September. He also did some advance planning and gave his family the great gift of ensuring his legal, financial and final plans were in place. “This has been a battle”, he says. “Thank God for Hospice of the Foothills.”
He is visited twice a week by his hospice nurse who stays on average of an hour per visit, thus reducing the need and stress of frequent doctor’s visits.
At one point last December, Jim was experiencing severe pain and was unable to eat. He was admitted to Hospice of the Foothills’ Compassionate Care Home and didn’t think he would survive the crisis. But within a week, he was back on track with a new pain management plan, able to eat again, and returned home to his independent life. “I felt loved while I was in the Compassionate Care Home”, he said. “Nothing but positive energy,” he added.
Jim also has great appreciation for the non-medical support he receives from the Hospice of the Foothills interdisciplinary care team. His social worker visits weekly and helps in a wide variety of ways. By connecting Jim with a hospice volunteer to help with grocery shopping and other errands, many of Jim’s domestic needs are met. This means he can simply enjoy the time with his family when they visit. In response to Jim’s progressing illness, one of the social worker’s current tasks is to help and support him through the process of finding the right private, in-home caregiver. At other times she is there just to be with Jim; to quietly offer support and encouragement during this challenging journey.
Jim knows he doesn’t have a lot of time left in this world. He’s getting weaker, losing weight and doesn’t want to live with a poor quality of life. Jim says, “I want people to hear my story. I feel very strongly about Hospice of the Foothills. I tell everyone ‘if you’re in this position, use hospice. People are missing the boat if they feel they can do a better job for themselves. I have nothing but praise for Hospice of the Foothills.”
Well Jim, your Hospice care team feels pretty much the same about you—nothing but praise for a remarkable man.
Jim passed away peacefully on August 24, 2014 in the Compassionate Care Home.