Friday, December 19, 2008

Palliative Care Month

I work as a Nurse Practitioner in Palliative Care for CarePartners in Asheville, NC. This post is not about work, it is about a group of wonderful, giving people who provide care to the very ill and how we work together. Palliative Care month was actually last month. One of our very dear members, Barbara Anderson-Friedman, had a brilliant thought about a year ago. She provided cotton squares to a number of the hospital units and asked them to make squares depicting what Palliative Care meant to them and their patients. The blocks were so creative and wonderful, all works of art by themselves. In November the Palliative Care team from the hospital and those out in the field got together for an evening of fellowship to create the quilt top. We had pizza, washed our hands and created. Those who couldn't sew pressed fabric, pinned squares together or just enjoyed the fellowship. One of children of one of our Docs even created a block with a picture of what Palliative Care meant. (It looks suspiciously like his family, but in the pure sense of palliative care that is what it is to him - safety, love and family). That is what this palliative care team is for so many in our community.
We had a great time together. The quilt top is ready for the 2 borders (Yes I will get them done - after Christmas) then someone better at quilting than I, will get the quilt to finish. The plan is to present it to Misson Hospital and it will be hung in a place of honor. Another example of teamwork, love and care we provide to those with life limiting illnesses.

Debbie Aiton (L) & Barbara Anderson-Friedman(R)


Marcie Johnson


Josh Kamell


Nancy Crouch (L) & Jan McNamara Houck (aka me) (R)


Dr. John Langlois


Dr Andrew & Elena Kamell


The quilt top - finished as far as we could go - with Jennifer Kamell (L) & Kerri Spinelli on (R) the rest of us are hiding


Jennifer Kamell, Me, Nancy Crouch, Barbara Anderson-Friedman, Kerri Spinelli