RAPID RIVER - Abram "Bud" Morse Jr. lived just a short distance from his dad, Abram Sr., in their homes off the Whitefish Hill east of Rapid River and they got to see each other regularly. But when his father became ill with liver cancer in 2008 and his condition deteriorated despite treatment, a nursing home was not an option for Morse. He moved his dad into his own home that he shares with his wife, Norma.
"My mother died in 2005 and my dad always told us he didn't want to ever go to a nursing home or end up lying in a hospital bed," Morse. explained. "So moving him in here with us was what we decided was best for him."
Morse Sr. was diagnosed with liver cancer at the Veteran's Hospital in Iron Mountain and confirmed in a hospital in Milwaukee.
The liver cancer wasn't the elderly Morse's only serious health issue. He had previously battled colon cancer and received a colostomy. He later underwent heart bypass surgery.
"The last 10-15 years were pretty tough on him," said Morse. "They just happened to find out my dad had liver cancer. They weren't even looking for it. They thought he was having complications from the colon cancer he had before."
Doctors first tried to combat the liver cancer with chemo, but efforts were unsuccessful.
"My dad was still in his home and was doing okay there," said Morse. He lived just down the driveway and I could keep an eye on him all the time."
But when his father was admitted to the hospital for treatment, Morse realized that his dad was not going to survive much longer.
"While I was at the hospital visiting Dad, we were told about Hospice," Morse said. "Later I called Erik (Erik Barnhart, OSF social worker) and he came out and went over everything - what Hospice is all about," Morse said.
When the senior Morse was discharged from OSF, he was moved immediately into his son's home.
"By then Dad had a little dementia and needed more supervision than just going over to see him," Morse explained.
Morse Sr. died on Oct. 9, 2009.
Morse Jr. has nothing but praise for the OSF Hospice program and those who were involved in his father's care.
"My dad loved all the nurses and all the health care workers," said Morse. "We had volunteers who came in to give us respite care when Norma and I needed to go shopping or other places and my dad had nothing but good words to say for all of them as well. But the feelings were mutual - they just loved my dad as well. When volunteers came to visit, they would bring him cookies and cupcakes. We were just flabbergasted with their kindness."
While in Hospice care, Morse said his father received spiritual support from Hospice volunteer, Rev. Christine Bergquist, pastor of United Methodist Church in Bark River.
"Even though we took him to our church, Pastor Chris still came to visit him," Morse said. "Dad really liked her and anytime Dad wanted to talk with her, she was right there."
Unfortunately, a week before his father died, Morse said his dad fell and had to be admitted to a nursing home.
"We tried and tried not to take him," Morse said sadly. "But he died shortly thereafter. Had we known the end was so close, we would have tried to stick it out."
Morse said without help from the Hospice staff and volunteers, he would not have been able to keep his dad at home as long as they did.
"I knew right from the start that my dad's illness was pretty tough on him," said Morse. "But I never had the feeling that the care he was getting or the advice he was given were anything but excellent. When Dad had a problem with oxygen, they obtained a way for him to have oxygen in our home. They got my dad a hospital bed so he could be more comfortable. Even after Dad passed away, we got phone calls from Erik to see how we were getting along and how we were coping. Even after my dad received all that unbelievable care, they have still maintained contact with us."
Morse said he would like nothing less than to help get the word out about the benefits of Hospice.
"Too many people don't know anything about Hospice," he said. "I want to put it out there so people can find out what it's all about. I can't imagine what people do without it. The people are unbelievable and caring. I could tell that this wasn't just a job to them."
To learn more about home health or hospice, call OSF Home Care Services at 786-4456, toll-free at 800-673-5288 or visit www.osfhomecare.org.
