Hospice

My Boyfriend's little sister is going to hospice. He's grateful that he got to have a good visit with her while we were on our road trip.

As you may know hospice is a wonderful concept. When the time comes for us to stop struggling with trying to stay alive we can let hospice gently help us go in the other direction. This doesn't necessarily mean that we'll die soon. It does mean that all of the painful treatments, chemo, radiation, dialysis, traveling across the country for one last procedure, etc. STOPS. And we are encouraged to rest and let nature take its course - pain free.

Several years ago I was on a terrible committee. I lived in a county where hospice was overcrowded. It was essentially our job to kick people out of the program. Why? Because to be in hospice you must have a diagnosis of being terminal within six months.

Hospice was so wonderful that people were living longer than six months - especially children. Should we throw them out so that others could get in?

My Boyfriend's Real Wife went to hospice. My Real Husband was with hospice but stayed at home. My Boyfriend's sister making this decision has brought up those memories. Not all of them are bad.

Right now he's writing her a letter. Should he e-mail it or is there time to send it through the regular mail? What should it say?