Pat Kensil lost her 91-year-old mother and husband of 52 years within eight days of one another in August. She leaned heavily on her Catholic faith and her incredible care team at Emmanuel Hospice to navigate these unimaginable losses with quiet grace and immense strength.
“Everyone from Emmanuel walked with us every minute and gave us peace,” Pat explained. “I can’t say enough of what hospice is and does, and how everybody, whether you have no faith, a little faith or a lot of faith, benefits from hospice. This is an unmeasurable support everyone should be able to experience.”
Emmanuel first cared for Pat’s mother, Kathleen Sobie, at St. Ann’s Home earlier this year. Pat was her mom’s constant visitor—until her own husband, Wayne, was diagnosed with glioblastoma just before Mother’s Day.
The family quickly found itself thrust into four weeks of daily radiation to try and combat 11 tumors running havoc with Wayne’s ability to see, walk, eat and talk.
After those treatments failed to deliver results, Wayne decided to forego chemo—a decision Pat affirmed with the oncologist as the right choice.
“The whole time, Wayne never complained or felt sorry for himself,” Pat recalled. “My mom was a real worrier, and I didn’t want her to know what was going on. She loved Wayne and had a special bond with him.”
But Pat’s absences at St. Ann’s became noticeable, and her mother started to worry. Pat’s brother shared the sad diagnosis during a visit. Recognizing Wayne might only have weeks to live, Pat welcomed Emmanuel Hospice in for support.
“Everything we needed was brought together by God working through Emmanuel Hospice,” Pat said. “They brought in every resource we needed. They told us about Katie, the grief counselor. She came in and made molds of our hands, then his thumbprint, which she mirrored and made into a heart. Sister Faustina would bring Holy Communion, talk with me and Wayne and just put the whole family at ease.
“I told Wayne right from the get-go ‘we will keep you home.’ And Emmanuel allowed us to do that. When he needed a hospital bed and then a Hoyer lift and medication, they brought everything to us. They told us what to expect. They were always here for moral support.”
Pat’s mother died at 7:15 a.m. on August 13. Pat was by her bedside, holding her mother’s hand and praying a rosary the night before she died. Pat’s husband died at 7:15 p.m. eight days later—just two days after their 52nd wedding anniversary.
“I could not have done this without Emmanuel’s support,” Pat said. “Everyone who came in gave us the strength and resources to do what we needed to do. The love and support we got from the whole hospice team was priceless.”
Pat plans to continue sharing the story of her double heartbreak to ensure others have support in their times of greatest need. We’re honored she allowed us to care for Kathleen, Wayne and her entire family.
Courtesy of Emmanuel Hospice.
