sponsored post: the best gift I give

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THE BEST GIFT I GIVE

Gifts, for any occasion, are difficult. Especially when giving to adults.  And it would be really easy to write about the wonderful Keurig that is still getting use that we gave my mother last year. 

But I'm not going to write about that...

In the spirit of this post, I am going to write about the annual gift my brother and I make to Hospice and Palliative Care of Western Colorado. A wonderful organization, whom I not only do business with on a professional level, but did business with on a personal level.

In September of 2007 my father was diagnosed with late stage, Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma. And after a grueling five month fight, shortly after Christmas, his hematologist told him there was nothing left to do. He was sent home with this horrific news and hospice was at his home with in hours.

This incredibly kind, dedicated team spoke with him about his wished, and educated my brother and I about the process that was about to take place before our eyes. They were not only a phone call away, but provided us with multiple visits, making sure my father's needs were met, coaching us on how to keep him comfortable, providing all the equipment necessary and making sure that we, his caregivers, were OK. 

The afternoon of Sunday January 27th, he passed peacefully, listening to Van Morrison, with my brother, myself and three of his close friends by his side. After I watched in disbelief his final exhale of breath, and I told him that I loved him a million and a half times, I phoned the hospice, frantically, to notify them of his death. With in 30 minutes, his nurse was at our door, did the necessary things in this situation, and offered to stay with us until the mortuary arrived. Fortunately, we were surrounded by friends and didn't feel the need to have her there.

And while this is my only experience with a hospice situation, I just know that any person who works in hospice care is an incredibly special person. But because of the tender care we received from them during his final two weeks of life, we make an annual donation in his memory. To me, this is the best gift I give every year during this time.

In loving memory of my father, Kern Hadley Copeland III.

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Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective,  which endorses  Blog With Integrity.