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« go backHolding Matthew
Dedicated to the life of Matthew Zukowski: June 15, 2009 – May 12, 2010
Matthew had lived his 10 months of life in and out of hospitals, battling an extremely rare metabolic genetic disease. Doctors told me that there was nothing more they could do to treat him. Our hope was to make Matthew’s final days comfortable and full of love.The hospital told me it would be a week or more before we could arrange to have hospice for Matthew, but imagine my surprise when we arrived home and found the hospice nurse waiting at our front door. Matthew was taken into their care the same day we left the hospital and the hospice team began focusing on our family’s needs.
From the time Community Hospice entered my home, our lives changed. For the first time in five weeks, I was able to hold Matthew in my arms. I was able to rock him to sleep and be close to my baby. The hospice staff met all of Matthew’s clinical needs – administering his medicine, taking care of his medical equipment and communicating with his doctors. I didn’t have to worry about a thing; I could just be Matthew’s mother. Having Community Hospice meant we could live like a family. Matthew could spend time with his older brothers making memories, something we found almost impossible to do in the hospital.
Community Hospice allowed my son to live his last month in my care and in my arms. Just being able to touch and kiss my baby meant a lot to our family. They understood that every day he had left was precious. My memories of Matthew mean so much to me and they helped make his final days meaningful. I will always be grateful for the support we received and the impact it made on his short life.
Tracie Zukowski