It’s the most wonderful time of the year for many, but what about those of us dealing with grief? Here’s how one man was able to find hope during the holidays amidst his grief.
They met in college, when Stella tried to steal an answer from David’s math placement exam. Stella and David were together for the next 50 years, until she passed away in 2008. In this short video, David shares how Mercy Health was able to help in Stella’s final days. He also shares what it’s like to have grief at the holidays.
“During those first years, people would ask me, ‘how are you doing?’” David said. “And I knew what the subtext was, ‘are you done grieving?’ I wanted to tell them — you’re never done grieving. It’s always there.”
David says he doesn’t want his grief to go away. In fact, he’s thankful for it. Without grief, David says he would simply be a wreck.
David uses a metaphor from the film, The Rabbit Hole, to describe how grief at the holidays feels: “Grief is like carrying a small stone in your pocket. Much of the time you forget it’s there, but every once in a while, you put your hand in your pocket and you find it. And you say — oh, there it is. It’s still there.”
Stella spent her last days in hospice at St. Rita’s in Lima. Because of that experience, David chose to express his gratitude with a gift to St. Rita’s. However, if you ask him about the gift, he’s quick to turn the tables.
“The real point of it is not the gift to St. Rita’s, but the gift that hospice makes to us,” he said.
While the holidays bring happiness to many, they can also be a time of deep sadness and loneliness. If you’re dealing with grief and looking to find hope during the holidays, or any other time of the year, we’re here to help. Reach out to our team of experts at 513-952-5000 or mercy.com.
2 Comments
Post a CommentJoy F.
I wanted to express my happiness for what we experienced in the ER on Saturday night. My Dad was brought in by squad with a serious blood infection, it was a scary night for my family as my father is 89 and has many health problems. Once in our room our nurse Geoff was great and very attentive. He understood how much our father means to us and treated us with the kindness we needed. Sometimes I think people forget that it is someone's parent, husband, mother, kid, family member and treat them as just a patient. He recognized how worried we were and how much our Dad is loved. My Mom, sisters and I are very thankful for the dedication of this spectacular man who not only made us feel at ease but made us feel important and explained everything to us in detail. I am an employee of Mercy and am proud to know that there are such caring and wonderful employees who do their job with love and compassion. Thanks again to our RN Geoff!Mercy Health
Hi Joy, thanks for sharing! We love hearing these stories, and truly hope your dad is feeling better. Have a great holiday season!