April 1, 2021
Debbie Reller, Home Health Aide
My uncle Bob lived with my grandparents on their farm when I was growing up. He was like a second dad to me. As he got older, I noticed he was losing weight, so I checked in on him. I knew something wasn’t right, but he refused to go to the doctor. I wanted him to get help to find out what was going on and promised him that I would take care of him so he wouldn’t have to go to a nursing home. He finally went to the hospital and was diagnosed with cancer, so I took a leave of absence from work and took care of him in his home. Hospice of Douglas County was involved at the end of his life and that’s when I knew end-of-life care was my calling. My family said I gave him a gift by caring for him, but really he gave me a gift by letting me be there for him.
I like helping people in their homes. You form a special relationship when you care for someone in their environment. You see pictures of their family, their cat, dog, or whatever is important to them. And at the end of life, none of the material things matter anymore. What’s important is your peace and comfort, and the love of your family and friends. I really believe that I’m meant to do this work, because it’s a gift that comes naturally to me.