Life Comes Full Circle

Sheila Corbett was a volunteer during the early days of Hospice of Frederick County, when a very small number of people made a big difference to the larger community. So, when Corbett and her family sought out Hospice 30 years later, when Sheila herself needed end-of-life care, it was as if “life came full circle… people like Sheila, in the early days, were truly the heart of the organization,” Laurel Cucchi, Hospice executive director said. “In those days, nothing got done if it wasn’t done by a volunteer.”

“I was so glad to be able to visit with Sheila and do a life review with her, and to fill her in on how much Hospice had grown and changed over the years,” Cucchi said. Corbett’s family was also touched to hear about how instrumental their mother had been in the early years of Hospice, and were overwhelmed with gratitude when they realized how Hospice was now giving back to her.

“At the Kline House, she had her privacy, which she treasured, caregivers there when needed, pain medication available to her and she was not ‘burdening’ any of her children,” Corbett's daughter Lynne Waldron said, of her mother. “She seemed to almost turn around while at the Hospice House. I think it was because she was being cared for, her pain was under control, and she didn’t have to worry herself about ‘what will I do if…’ She laughed and smiled more and loved her surroundings.”

“At the Kline House, you’re not a nurse, you’re the daughter. That is critical; it’s probably one of the most powerful things people experience at the Kline House,” Cucchi said.

Corbett’s family, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, were able to visit as much as they wanted, whenever they wanted. One Sunday in December, they even got to experience a final, traditional Sunday family dinner together. “We used their beautiful kitchen for preparation and then put Mom in a wheelchair and brought her to the lovely dining room,” Waldron said.

“The staff was very accommodating and helpful, but also allowed us to have our privacy. They always seemed to be there just when Mom needed them for something. They were very responsive.” Corbett was able to spend her last few weeks of life surrounded by caring individuals and her family. This was an invaluable experience, according to her children.

“Mom had a quiet, beautiful death — if there is such a thing,” Waldron said. “Mom did die from her lung disease, but she also died the way she wanted.