A Spark of Hope
Nancy Bradham
Apr, 2017
Nancy received a frightening diagnosis from her doctors, she was given the choice to remain in the hospital or return home to spend what little time was left – two weeks - with her family. Because of the high level of care Nancy required, she weighed the best option for her family. Nancy shared that she felt a sense of helplessness and despair as well as fear.
Nancy chose the Hanson Hospice Center, where a caring team was able to get her pain and symptoms under control. Her appetite returned, she began to sleep better, and then the rest of her health slowly started to improve. The light of hope is a little brighter for Nancy and her family as they began to think she would have more time then was expected.
Nancy was able to see her daughter Melissa, a senior at Lakeshore High School, before she attended her last prom. As Nancy’s strength increased she shared her hope to live to see Melissa in the Blossomtime Festival Parade as first runner up to Miss Baroda. She believed that she would most likely be too ill to attend, but was hopeful she could see it on video. Nancy’s care team talked and all agreed that if she was well enough to physically go to the parade, they would find a way to make it happen for her.
Parade day arrived and the weather was another gift – sunny and warm. Nancy’s friend brought a wheelchair accessible van. A nurse’s husband is a Michigan State Police Officer and was in charge of the security for the parade. The officer set up a route for the van to take, mapping out the best place for Nancy and her family to sit.
Nancy and her family were given a police escort and all went smoothly as she settled into her reserved spot to wait for her daughter’s float to pass by. The shine of the trumpets and the big boom of bass drums could be heard as the Lakeshore Lancer Marching Band came into full view. As a band parent, her anticipation welled up inside. Many of the band members recognized and knew Nancy. At a blow of the drum major’s whistle they came to a rest-in-step right in front of her. Rather than relax until they stepped off again, they performed their best – just for Nancy!
Nancy reached for the next milestone in her daughter’s life and held onto hope that she would live long enough to see her high school graduation. As a mother, Nancy worried that her daughter’s special moments would forever be shadowed by her death. A hospice patient is used to hearing about what they can’t do, at the Hanson Hospice Center, our focus is on what you CAN do.
As summer began, Nancy had healed enough to return home. She finished preparations for her daughter’s graduation party. Over the summer, with the support of her Hospice at Home team, she was able to enjoy the Krasl Art Fair, Berrien County Youth Fair, Antiques on the Bluff, celebrating her daughters’ birthdays, spending precious time with her family, and even moving her youngest daughter into her first college dorm.
“Coming to the Hanson Hospice Center gave me back my spark of hope and
the very special, life-affirming gift of time,” beamed Nancy.
Learn more about Nancy's inspiring story in the video below: