Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County (VHOCC)
Compassionate care for the terminally ill, their caregivers and their families

Stories from the Heart:

Big Surprises Come In Small Packages
by Bruce Busch & Pam Gates Busch

She came to Hospice in 2001. He arrived in 2005. Both of them lost their spouses after a long illness 3 years before they became Hospice volunteers in 2010.

For the next 14 months, Pam Gates and Bruce Busch volunteered on several Hospice committees, whose goals were to streamline the operations . On several occasions during that time, both of them expressed strong reservations for ever getting back into the dating scene or being married again.

Hospice hugs were just that, or at least until early March of 2011, when Bruce thought Pam's hugs were kind of squirrely and Pam thought Bruce’s hugs lasted too long. Then their serenity began to unravel. Pam needed an escort to a plaque presentation for the Readers' Theater Group and Bruce, being the loyal Hospice volunteer, readily agreed to go with her. Since the presentation ate into the dinner hour, Bruce suggested that they go to dinner. Later, when they gave each other a Hospice hug, and then a good night kiss in the dark of the parking lot, the unraveling became complete. 74 days later, they were married in Bruce's backyard, with Hospice volunteer, Ken Brown, performing the ceremony.

We thank you Hospice for making our lives complete again.

Bruce & Pam

HOSPICE LOVE NOTES
by Agnes Bell & Ron Little

The sun is shining brightly and a promise of warmer weather is being broadcast on the radio. It’s my favorite radio station, playing all the “oldies” I remember so well. I feel a joy I haven’t felt in years! I’ve discovered, in my advanced years, a new zest for life…..I discovered I’M IN LOVE!!! (For the rest of the story click here)

A Daughter’s Love Story
by Sue Hynes

It was in May 2006, after much persistence, that we found that my mother’s lung cancer, which we thought was gone, was actually growing and had metastasized to her brain. Her prognosis… at best… 3 months. I was fortunate to have been working for the Elwha Tribe for 14 years. Throughout my tenure at the Tribe, I learned how they value family and put the care of a family member in high regard. There was no question whether I could take the time off to care for my mom. It was a given.  (For the rest of the story click here)


RONNIE
by Mary Brown

Ronnie, a 48-year-old man, was a member of Gardiner Community Church for two years before we became aware that he had lung cancer. Ronnie captured the hearts of the congregation with his beautiful smile, his loving spirit and his gentle nature. When his illness became apparent, because of his unrelenting cough and weight loss, he never wanted to talk about it. When asked how he was feeling, he would always answer, “Fine.”  (For the rest of the story click here)




THE DAY OUR WORLD CHANGED
by Mary Brown

June 1, 2010. Our world shattered with a phone call. ..a medical doctor at Boeing, telling us that our son, David, was killed in a one-car rollover accident in Italy. David had been in Italy for only two months, working on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a job he had requested, having visited Italy during his ten-year stint in the Navy. Only 48 years old, leaving behind a family of seven children, many lives were turned upside down that day. (For the rest of the story click here)