The challenge for most is that you don't look into hospice care until too late. That's right, you don't have to be bed-ridden to start looking at hospice care. In my case, my wife and I started to investigate hospice care within days of my discovering that my metastatis melanoma had spread to my brain after having been in two other body organs. "It's a good idea to look into hospice care and remember, nobody has to be in pain at the end of life," suggested a close friend who is on the medical team of our local hospice care service.

So my wife and I called the local hospice while I was still working full-time to see what kinds of services were available. A free consultation was set up within a week to describe all of the services from what they call Transition Care, to full Hospice Care. To begin full Hospice Care you need agreement from your primary care physician. However, Transition care is a free service that you local hospice might offer and it can be most helpful.

In my case, I was concerned about how my children and grandchildren were feeling along with the students in my classes (with whom I had shared my diagnosis as I was concerned that I might not finish out the semester). I was told that through the Transitions program that as part of their community service program that a bereavement specialist would happily come and speak with the grand children and the students in my class.

While I can't speak for all hospice organizations I must say that this assistance has certainly eased my concerns. I was also assigned a volunteer through the Transitions program who is a Reiki Master--an energy healing specialist--who gives me a  one hour treatment each week.