Frank Ives has fond memories of blowing off steam with his friends at the shooting range. The 93-year-old Westchester resident developed his knowledge of guns while serving as a radio operator in the Air Force and kept up this passion in his civilian life by becoming an avid collector of firearms. Unfortunately, it has been several months since he has been able to indulge in his favorite pastime.
Choosing a hospice provider is one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever have to make. Every patient’s needs are different—physically, emotionally, spiritually and pragmatically.
We expect the time between birth and death to be long. We expect that living takes place until a person is old and has lived many moments that are warm and rich. We expect that a life will be full of special firsts: the first day of school, the first date, a first kiss, marriage, children, grandchildren. We expect death will come only after a full measure of life has been lived.
We forget the very young can and do die. Or perhaps we refuse to think of something so painful. The truth is that the time between birth and death can be short.
Gabby and I met in April of 2009. It was a beautiful spring day. Our eyes met and we fell in love instantly. I knew I just had to have her and it was so hard to leave her at her breeder’s house until she was ready to come home.
