encouraing interests like art or cooking . Staff provide 24-hour caregiving , cook the meals , do the laundry and run the activities . “ We become an extension of their family ,” Wulfestieg says .
A current resident , Dr . Archie Cachola , has been at Heavenly Home since last April . Formerly a pediatrician at Children ’ s Hospital of Orange County and affiliated with Hoag before that , he began having back pain , but brushed it off as the aches and pains of getting older — until it became debilitating and he finally went to the hospital . Doctors determined he had thyroid cancer that had spread to his bones . He underwent surgery to remove part of a tumor around his spine , followed by radiation therapy , but it wasn ’ t enough . He entered into hospice and required assistance , so he could no longer live by himself . After several group homes that left much to be desired , Cachola finally found Heavenly Home through his hospice provider .
Wulfestieg says although Cachola earned a doctor ’ s salary , he was generous and donated much of that income over his lifetime . A sliding scale fee structure allows him to stay at Heavenly Home .
“ It ’ s beautiful . … I couldn ’ t ask for more . I have everything ,” Cachola says . “… It ’ s so quiet and peaceful . Everybody ’ s so friendly . … This is an example of what a facility should be . That ’ s why you call it Heavenly Home .”
He also enjoys the free weekly massages and recalls the party they had for his 71st birthday when he donned a chef ’ s hat to help cook a meal for the other residents ; before developing cancer , Cachola loved to cook and even ran a catering company in addition to his work as a physician .
Over the time that Cachola has lived at Heavenly Home , he ’ s shared stories about children he treated . Wulfestieg recalls one about an 8-year-old boy with cancer whose family didn ’ t have enough money for a Halloween costume , so Cachola went out and bought him a Zorro costume so he could enjoy dressing up for Halloween while in the hospital .
And then there was Amy , a little girl with spinal meningitis who came to the hospital with a fever and slipped into a coma for three or four months . Fighting back tears , Cachola recalls patiently sitting and talking to her day after day and encouraging her to respond by moving even a finger . And finally , she did move her fingers and eventually woke up . “ It was a miracle ,” he says .
“… It ’ s just one happy , fruitful experience ,” Cachola says of his rewarding career helping kids . “ I could not ask for more . … It ’ s just a blessing . I can die tomorrow . I can die the following day . I can die the next week . And I will be so happy .”
Notably , at Heavenly Home , Cachola stays in the same room where Wymer spent her final days before passing away last March . Kraus , Wymer ’ s mother , came back in February for the one-year anniversary of Heavenly Home ’ s opening . A stone with an inscription in Wymer ’ s memory as the first resident can be found in the garden . While Wymer ’ s ashes are interred at a local cemetery , Kraus says part of her will always be at this home .
“ She ’ s around ,” Kraus says . “ Her spirit lingers there , and forever she ’ ll be loved .” NBM
The Heavenly Home staff make it a point to celebrate whenever possible , from birthday parties ( above ) to Megan Wymer ’ s baptism ( below ) or even bringing an Elvis impersonator to entertain residents ( left ). For Dr . Archie Cachola ’ s birthday ( above , right ), he was chef for the day because of his passion for cooking .
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