Kathryn’s Caring Bridge Entry/Story
First A few thank you’s: Doctor Farrington and team, Michelle G, Christine & Terry L (have I been spelling your name wrong forever?) Laurie P, Wendy R, Beth F. I don’t use last names because one of them is in the witness protection program. Bonnie, Matthew, Eric, To Emma & our three great kids (well you're not always great…nor are mom and I always great). Thanks to ALL of you!
Kathryn Messinger, April 29, 2022
A famous person once said it takes a village to raise a cancer patient..or something like that. Well, Kathryn and I have NO idea how we could have lived or done everything that needs to be done to keep the Casa De Messinger family from crashing like the Hindenburg over the past 22 months, especially the past 3 weeks.
Kathryn and I as a team set lofty goals 22 months ago. I told Kathryn a few things that were crucial to run this cruise ship as smoothly as possible. 1st SHE is the captain of the cruise ship, I’m just the first mate. SHE will make all decisions, I will just do all in my power to do the commands she sets forth. All the people mentioned above are living on this cruise ship with us, some have had uglier duties than others, but Kathryn & I couldn’t keep the ship on course without all of their help.
A couple promises I made to Kathryn from my 50 years of experience of planetary occupation. We all come into this world with nothing and we all leave with nothing. It’s what you do between those spaces that matter. But, when you can see the sunsetting on the horizon I have learned a few things from my older client’s, many of which have become my mentor’s. The last thing you want to lose is Dignity and Control. Kathryn will have BOTH no matter what, I will make sure of that.
So our Cruise ship has come upon an intersection where two bodies of water meet. Kathryn needed to decide whether we go North or South into a new uncharted body of water. We used all the tools and instruments on the ship, we analyzed the data and we asked the crew that surrounds us for their opinion’s.
Kathryn decided that it’s time for a new course. So starting today, Kathryn hired Hospice Alliance as a consultant for her cruise ship. They will be taking over the position formerly held by Cancer Treatment Center of America. Thank you for your service CTCA, but it’s time for a new cruise director.
One of our crew, Beth F, who is very knowledgeable in this area and suggested we hire a new cruise director taught us a few things about Hospice;
DON’T DO HESITANCY-Your better to make a decision quickly while YOU still have control and can make the hiring decisions.
Hiring a Hospice Director is NOT giving up, it’s quite the opposite, it takes a strong person to keep fighting & Kathryn is a fighter.
Hiring a Hospice director will allow them to get to know Kathryn now, while she still can control, lead and steer the ship. If Kathryn is having a good day or bad day, as long as she and her new hospice director communicate clearly, they can offer tools for Kathryn to use to keep the ship on course.
If we run into very choppy water’s or a hurricane and Kathryn briefly loses control we can hand the tiller of the ship over to the hospice director, they have been doing this forever and they can take control leading the rest of the crew on the ship.
If Kathryn, the captain, needs to rest, our new director will handle ALL details to free up her family to relax a little.
My Late Wife’s Caring Bridge Articles. She started the writing when she was well enough with her cancer diagnosis..I take over the writing as Her Cancer journey took away all her strength.
So, we are still at sea. We hope to have many exciting stops on our cruise ship with the Captain in the coming days, weeks and perhaps months. The crew has planned some exciting things coming up. A prom, lot’s of days on deck to sit out front of the home and talk to guests (if it ever warms up), a graduation (with a TACO TRUCK!!!!) and thing’s may be added or subtracted to the cruise’s itinerary depending on how the captain is feeling.
Remember what Forrest Gump said. “Life is like a box of chocolates, put them all in a blender, add Ice Cream and make it into the best Milk Shake life has to offer”. You are NEVER promised tomorrow.
Hopefully the captain will be taking back over updates to the crew and guests & will also be your tour guide, just like she was in Italy in the picture attached. If not, I’m the 1st mate and I’ll update all of you.
Let the new tour begin, Kathryn & God will be OUR guide!
It’s A Good Life
Marc Messinger
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