What I do...

I have some ask me just what I do at the Hospital. Well, I am in Hospice and Palliative Care. I know, I didn't know what that meant either. There really is no other way to describe it.

(Here is the Hospital)

Palliative care (from Latin palliare, to cloak) is any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of disease symptoms, rather than striving to halt, delay or reverse progression of the disease itself or provide a cure. The goal is to prevent and relieve suffering and to improve quality of life for people facing serious, complex illness. Non-hospice palliative care is not dependent on prognosis and is offered in conjunction with curative and all other appropriate forms of medical treatment. It should not be confused with hospice care which delivers palliative care to those at the end of life.

Basically? To give care to those who have illnesses that cannot be cured. It is a decision that the family and patient if health willing, make together. My job is to get people who will volunteer and help in the passing. Sit with them, run errands for the family, and just love on these people as they prepare for life to end. If your not careful, it can really weigh heavy on you. How do you give hope to the dying? How do you help people process their momma laying there fighting to breathe? We provide them medication to soothe their suffering and an environment for the families to enjoy their last days on this earth.

You have people who hate God. Who pray for healing and don't get it. People who come in bitter and so angry at life, but when we step in? We help untie the knots spiritually as well as physically. Lung Cancer, Brain Tumors any terminal disease... and some of them are children. We help them with their pain so they can spend the final days here tying up what needs done with their families and heal them spiritually. If it sounds a lot like ministry, it is.

Phipps Note :) It is definitely different. I am stepping in for someone who has done this for 15 years and is winding down to retire. It is rather comical. I have 3 cell phones and a pager. 1) personal 2) radio station 3) pager and phone for the Hospital. I feel like a walking telecommunications kiosk. I never expected to be in a place like this. A hospital?? But I know God is in control and we are ministering to people everyday, in a very real world. I am learning to love on people in the midst of some of the most pivotal times of there life.

James 1:27 "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows (those who can't help themselves) in their troubles"