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The Baier farmhouse window frames a picturesque spring postcard of North Dakota’s famed Prairie Pothole region. Gently rolling hills remain covered with the stubble of last year’s corn crop. Thousands of geese swarm half thawed sloughs—the refueling stop on their annual journey north. Hilmer and Sharon Baier have shared this view for most of their…
by Jordan Weeda Here we are. No more poking and prodding. No therapeutic goals to achieve. No pandemic protocols. No hurried doctors and nurses. This is a world of quiet voices, laughing great grandchildren in the other room, smells of food wafting from the kitchen, hand holding, hair brushing, foot rubbing, resting—just being. Grateful to…
On an early fall morning, Hospice of the Red River Valley Patient Mary Sluke was up with the birds, quite literally. She awoke with excitement in the air and prepared for the ride of a lifetime in a hot air balloon. Mary and her family set off from their West Fargo home through the backroads…
The view from Donovan (Don) Johnson’s window at Pelican Valley Health Center overlooks a fishing pier and pond in the heart of downtown Pelican Rapids, Minn. Lily pads bob and pencil reeds ring the outer fringes of the pond, a scenic oasis of nature created by an iconic dam in the middle of the town of 2,500.…
Bunnie and Mike Messelt met through unusual circumstances. Their friendship and eventual relationship developed through intense personal loss. Bunnie first met Mike as a volunteer through the Hope Care Ministry when Mike’s late wife Sheila was dying of breast cancer. Bunnie offered in-home communion to Sheila through their shared church. Bunnie was taken by Sheila’s…
The role of a hospice social worker is to advocate for each patient’s end-of-life wishes and help individuals address the emotional aspects of late-stage illnesses. Hospice social workers also assist families in identifying other available local services and resources for additional support. We spoke with HIA Hospice Social Worker Tammy Baehler about the distinct role of a…
The old saying, “love at first sight,” rings true for Cyndy and Tony Andren, a Valley City, N.D., couple, who recently celebrated 25 years of marriage, filled with love, compassion, faith and family. Their courtship began as friendly neighbors and effortlessly grew into a deeper affection. “I really started to notice Tony when I witnessed how…
by David Montecuollo, Chaplain C.S. Lewis once said, “Some of the best living can happen in the worst of health.” For many, the definition of “best living” takes shape through adventure, ability, accumulating things or the like. As a hospice chaplain, I have seen patients and family members who exemplify the words of C.S. Lewis by…
If you or your loved one has a terminal illness, managing your pain is a high priority. Pain can be many things to many people; it can be described in many ways. People most naturally tend to think of their physical pain, but pain can also be emotional and spiritual. Physical pain can be caused…