We all go through life knowing that someday we won’t be here forever. I’m not afraid of dying and see it as a natural part of life. But what does worry me is growing old and not being able to take care of myself. The idea of relying on a hospice nurse makes me a bit anxious.
The thought of needing help with everything, being unable to do simple things on my own, and forgetting my loved ones’ names scares me. It’s not the kind of life I’d want. This fear reminds me of Maria, a music teacher who was cared for by a hospice nurse in 2016.
One night, as I was leaving at the end of my shift, I said ‘Goodnight, Irene.’ Then I asked her if she knew the song ‘Goodnight, Irene,’ and I sang a little bit of it. She looked at me and smiled,” Berg said. “For someone who didn’t usually talk much with the nurses, that smile meant a lot, and I knew I had made a connection with her.”As Rosipajla’s health got worse, it was decided to move her from the hospital to hospice care. “The last time I took care of Irene, I wanted to do something kind for her and her family, so I brought my guitar,” said Berg, who had studied music in college. “I sang ‘Goodnight, Irene,’ and it was a really special moment. I was nervous about singing in front of someone, but when I started playing and singing, she was so focused, and her family was really touched.”
Michelle Naypauer, Irene Rosipajla’s daughter-in-law who saw her as a mother, was in the room and moved to tears. “Irene was a wonderful person who treated me like a daughter,” Naypauer said. “In the last few months, Irene was in and out of the hospital, and we got to know Annamarie well.”
“Before the song, Annamarie had already done some great things. Our middle son, Eric, got married in August, and Annamarie helped set up FaceTime so Mom could be at the reception bridal table. It was beautiful,” Naypauer shared.
Naypauer, who recorded Annamarie singing to Irene, wanted to capture the special moment to share with the family. “There were so many tears, and it was just so beautiful,” she said. The song was a heartfelt farewell to Irene, who passed away a few weeks later at home, surrounded by her family.
Watch Joshua sing to Maria while she was in his carehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGFRHyt1sFQ
1. “Maria is dying. Then carer takes something out of his pocket and fulfills her last wish..” Newsner. Norhan Elhakeem. October 26, 2017
2. “Nurse sings to patient moving to hospice care in touching moment.” ABC News. Haley Yamada. March 2, 2020.
Woman finds a friendly dog sitting on her porch and helps him find a new home
Amy Haden had a surprise one morning when her daughter alerted her to a dog on their back porch. Initially, Amy didn’t think much of it, assuming it was one of their family’s dogs. However, she soon realized it was a new visitor, comfortably settled on their patio furniture.
“It’s like he had taken up residence,” Amy recalled, noting how the dog had made himself at home on the cushions and showed no signs of leaving.
Despite the dog’s contentment in their company, Amy knew he needed assistance. She took on the responsibility of caring for him and embarked on a mission to reunite him with his family, reaching out to the community and using social media platforms.
Despite efforts to locate his previous owners, including checking for a microchip, the dog remained unclaimed. Amy affectionately named him Walker, with input from TikTok users, and her family continued to provide him with care.
As time passed, it became evident that Amy’s household wasn’t the permanent solution for Walker. Compatibility issues arose with her existing dogs, prompting Amy to seek a forever home better suited for Walker’s needs.
Fortunately, Amy’s persistence paid off when she found an ideal match for Walker—an elderly lady who had been longing for a furry companion.
“She was super sweet,” Amy shared, expressing gratitude that their paths crossed. “She told us that she had been praying for a dog like him and that we were the answer to her prayers.”
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