A Mother’s Story
As told to Nancy L. Jackson
M
y name is Christye Hamilton
and my son, Andrew Shoemake, is a patient of Home
Hospice of Grayson County. And, this
is my story.
As Andy’s illness became more advanced, I was encouraged to search
for a hospice. I strongly resisted as I
thought hospice was for those at the
end of their lives, but my friend told me
again to call Home Hospice of Grayson County.
They came to our home and I was
impressed with the nursing care they
provide, their explanations of what to
expect and how to deal with the future. As they answered my questions,
it eased my fears because I didn’t
know what Andy was going through
and now I could understand.
Andy has had trouble accepting nurses
Courtesy Home Hospice of Grayson County
and I was skeptical of how he would react.
From the first visit the Home Hospice nurses
talked to Andy, they were gentle, loving
and caring with him. Soon he clicked with
them, and now he gives them hugs on
each visit. The nurses and attendants help
take care of Andy’s needs and are available 24 hours a day––several times at 2
Christye Hamilton and her son,
Andrew Shoemake.
a.m. I needed a nurse; I made a call and a
nurse was there to care for him. I can’t tell
you how much comfort that gives me.
As a caregiver, taking care of your son is
difficult, but the Home Hospice team has
a lot of compassion, not just for Andy, but
for me too. Everyone is so caring because
they know you are dealing with both the
physical and emotional sides of caregiving. I can’t tell my other children about the
emotional stress I go through daily as a
mother. But I can tell Andy’s nurses and
they know what a mom feels. They give
me light on what to look for daily.
No one wants to deal with a child facing the end of life–––I don’t. I’m facing it
with my little boy, and it’s hard to accept
as a mother. But hospice is not just for
the elderly. Young children and babies
need services too. And Home Hospice
will be there for you.
TEXOMA AREA Living Well Magazine |FALL 2015
23