Blog > To Love and Be Loved….This is Our Why!

To Love and Be Loved….This is Our Why!

It is often said that “Home is where the heart is”. Undoubtedly, this is true. The Sutton family has become a humble reminder to us of what it means to love and be loved. Here is the story.

“About 8 months ago, Touching Hearts began providing care for Mrs. Sutton. With a touch of dementia, Mrs. Sutton is kind, strong willed, and determined. As you can see in the picture, her smile lights up a room. Mr. Sutton would call us each week with updates on Mrs. Sutton’s care needs. The phone calls often lead to him giving us advice on how to grow our business, with an occasional critique thrown in. Our office staff grew quite fond of Mr. Sutton. He was kind, straightforward, and relentless in ensuring his wife received the best care possible.

Over the last month, we began to notice panic in Mr. Sutton’s voice. He called in to add hours and was distressed by the fact that he could no longer care for his wife without assistance. Two weeks later, he called in for 24/7 care because he was having some tests run. His exact words were, “They say I have cancer, but I know that can’t be true.” Sadly, it was. Mr. Sutton was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given 2 weeks to live.

Faced with his new reality, Mr. Sutton never complained about his diagnosis. His primary concern was making sure that Mrs. Sutton would be taken care of. Upon release from the hospital, Mr. Sutton was adament that no one tell Mrs. Sutton he was sick. Upon arrival home he said, “Sit me up straight when we go in because I don’t want her to worry.” Meanwhile, Mrs. Sutton, was anxiously awaiting his return. She asked our Caregiver, Sarah Compton, to paint her fingernails and comb her hair so that she would look pretty when Mr. Sutton came home. As Mr. Sutton was wheeled into that room his face lit up and he beamed, “Wow, you look so beautiful today.”. There was not a dry eye in that room.

Mr. Sutton passed away peacefully just a few days later after his family assured him that they would take care of Mrs. Sutton. The way that I have seen the Sutton family rally around one another during this time is truly remarkable.

In our industry, we are faced with death and dying each day. More often, than not, we are touched by each families story. As I reflected on Mr. & Mrs. Sutton, it struck me that Mr. Sutton had to have been in immense pain long before he went to the doctor two weeks ago. He couldn’t bare the thought of leaving Mrs. Sutton. The panic we heard in his voice was because deep down, he knew the inevitable. It was a great reminder of what it means to love someone more than yourself.

As we continue to care for Mrs. Sutton in the days ahead, we will honor Mr. Sutton’s wishes by not only providing care, but also keeping his memory alive. Yesterday, our Caregiver, Sarah Compton, painted Mrs. Sutton’s nails. Her words, “I will paint her nails every day if it will bring a smile to her face.”

Losing our clients never gets easier….and I pray it never does. There are lessons to be learned from each one and every one deserves to be celebrated. May we all be so fortunate to love and be loved like the Sutton’s.”