It's not often that I share personal photos, but the one above was taken in my mother's hospital room in the days before she died. It's me and my Nana, and it definitely stirs both sweet and sad remembrances of them both. It also stirs memories of that difficult time in our lives.

I got to thinking about that time when I came to work today. I was assigned a story about Hospice care... Something my family never took advantage of as my Dad fought time and again to save, or at least prolong his young wife's life. She eventually died in that hospital.

As an adult, I've had the great privilege of knowing hospice workers. There are a couple I count as very dear friends. With a new respect and understanding of what it is they do, let me first say... it takes a special person. If ever you want evidence that there are angels among us, look no further than a dedicated hospice worker.

I suppose the point of sharing that small bit of background, is to encourage you to take a look at the article I've linked below. Not every doctor begins conversations about hospice services in a timely manner. (There are theories on why THAT is in the article). It's true too though, that not every family wants to give up hope for that miracle. Understandably. My prayer for you is that you're never faced with this kind of decision. If you're in the midst of it... you also have my prayers.

Here's a write-up on the latest research:

Hospice use increases, but too late to help, says Brown University study

More Americans are dying in hospice, but the comfort care is too late and too short, according to a major new national study.

In the past decade, hospice use has risen, but so has time spent in hospitals' high-cost intensive care units, the Brown University analysis found.

The paradoxical finding comes with this explanation: Patients are increasingly admitted to hospice only after aggressive ICU care has failed -- and they arrive desperately ill with too little time to benefit fully from pain control and other measures, reported Dr. Joan Teno and her team.

"For many patients, hospice is an 'add-on' to a very aggressive....(read more here)