“Singing the Praises” of Hospice House
Prince George, B.C. – A Sinclair Mills man is “singing the praises” of Prince George Hospice House.
68 year old Keith Ambler decided to go public and express his support for the agency following the care his late husband received earlier this year.
Keith Ambler – photo 250 News
He said his partner, Harvey Sawyer, was transported to Hospice House suffering from an “extremely virulent form of lymphoma.”
“It was the last Friday in February when I had him transported by ambulance from Sinclair Mills to the hospital (UHNBC),” said Ambler. “He spent four days in the hospital flat on his back on a gurney when he was transported here the first Monday in March.”
Once he arrived he said the service was exceptional, especially after he proposed to Harvey and organized a wedding ceremony after 15 years of courtship a few days later.
“We had our formal wedding here and the staff, I cannot sing their praises enough,” noted Ambler. “Four months later our friends are still talking about our wedding, it was just incredible.”
He said they went above and beyond the call of duty. “The staff raided the kitchen, brought out party trays and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I could not even begin to count the number of hugs I got from the staff here.”
Sadly Harvey died just three days later yet Keith noted,”If it wasn’t for the support that I got from the staff I wouldn’t have made it through.”
Comments
My condolences to the family. I am a huge fan of Hospice. I have been there on a number of occasions over the years and the staff and volunteers there are FANTASTIC. They provide endless support and comfort to many families during some of the most difficult and challenging times. Mr. Ambler it was wonderful that you acknoledged the efforts of PG Hospice Society.
A read a study in the US recently that said half of all gay men over 50 have HIV, and that gay men now make up 90% of the HIV population.
If we have laws that deny ones right to not wear a seat belt over safety issues, then why is the gay men lifestyle being deregulated and subsidized with public pride displays?
^whoa^ which study was this Eagleone? These stats seems a bit steep. Also I think the pride parades is to celebrate one’s choice of life partner etc, not one’s choice to enter a dangerous lifestyle. That is why there are no anti seat belt parades, or drug users/violent criminals parades…this story is about the Hospice House’s excellent delivery of care and compassion to a resident, and how that was appreciated by that resident’s husband, does it matter if the resident was male or female?
I think I read it in the Kaiser Family Foundation study.
The pride parades are not to celebrate ones choice of ‘life partner’, their agenda is to destroy the only true institution for ‘life partners’. The pride parades are about gloating and pushing the norms of acceptability as far as they can be pushed.
The facts from the bowel movement sex lifestyle, via HIV studies, prove out that the lifestyle is far more dangerous to the general public than any other lifestyle factors. It has costs that spill over into the general population.
I agree the Hospice House is a great asset to PG. I don’t think they would ever allow a weekend at Bernie’s type of incident to take place in their facilities, or the common traditions associated with marriage.
From the story above,
“suffering from an “extremely virulent form of lymphoma.””
AIDS-related lymphomas grow and spread quickly. AIDS-related lymphoma is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the lymph system of patients who have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Its just information. People should be informed about the very real safety aspect surrounding the glorification of this kind of lifestyle. The people in the hospice house one hopes were informed as well if the diagnosis fits the tell tale signs of HIV infections. I know if I had family that was providing volunteer work that these issues would concern me.
That said who really wants to be the bad guy with bad news when the story is meant to be about a grieving partner… that just so happens to expose inadvertently something that should be a major concern for everyone.
….
And one can’t help but think a wedding while the guy is in the hospice house on deaths bed… really? How romantic is that? One just has to also wonder if this has a financial gain aspect to this all… as in the transfer of pension rights to a spouse, and what not… oh the indignity of having that as ones last act before passing… when a simple will will not do.
I guess if you wait until the guy is in the hospice house, than that shows a level of consent that one doesn’t get when both are healthy?
Touché Eagle…
I suppose thats what these discussion forums are about E1, gaining perspective and information.
“….this story is about the Hospice House’s excellent delivery of care and compassion to a resident…”
That is the way I see it as well! The other comments are kind of sad and unneccessary, in my opinion.
My condolences on your loss Mr Ambler. The Hospice house is truly a fantastic place that helps make a heartbreaking time just a little more bearable. Please do not let the comments of our resident homophobic conspiracy theorist tarnish your praise for hospice.
Regardless on any personal perspective on moral and legal side, the emphasis is the care the hospice society gave. 2 thumbs up for them.
E1 could have posted his religious right opinions on Friday free for all. His comments and those of some others are totally insensitive and uncalled for in this report
As others have written, this is a report about Hospice House and the care they give.
The facts from CDC cited are the interpretation of the religious right. Those who are not motivated by their religious biases understand that the bubble of the early days of HIV detection are progressing through the demographic curve. Due to a different approach taken with antiretroviral therapy since 1993 a significant decline in HIV will be following that bubble.
Eagleone, regardless of your beliefs, your posts are incredibly insensitive. Your stats are out to lunch, in Canada gay men make up just under half of HIV cases & as for gay lifestyle being the most risk to the general population, I believe that distinction would go to our eating & drinking habits. The god of your or others choice has & will continue to destroy & take more lives than HIV/AIDS ever will.
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