A final request

“Do you have any ice cream?” My new patient Mrs. V., had nodded her head yes when I asked her if she wanted a massage, but clearly she had another form of comfort on her mind. I looked over on her tray and saw, among many items of untouched food, an open cup of melted [...]

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Welcoming a new hospice patient with a massage

Last week a new patient, Tess, was being admitted to one of our hospice inpatient units. She had been transferred from a local hospital, arriving by ambulance. Confused, agitated, in distress: my kind of patient! Thankfully the admitting nurse agreed with my philosophy and called me in to work with Tess. I watched as she [...]

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Terminal agitation and massage

Sometimes in my clinical practice I encounter a situation where massage is of no help whatsoever. This is particularly true when a patient is experiencing terminal agitation. Also known as terminal delirium, this condition sometimes occurs as patients approach the final days of life. It is characterized by restlessness, “picking” at clothing, skin, or IVs, [...]

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Massage as ministry

Having been raised in a Christian faith tradition, I frequently came across the concept “laying on of hands” in sermons and bible study. Having left that faith tradition, sometimes I am struck by the spiritual nature of the work I have been called to do and how it resonates with my Christian upbringing. The New [...]

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Hospice massage and inappropriate behavior

My first couple of massage therapy jobs were in spas and health clubs. Although it did not happen often, I would sometimes encounter a client who crossed a line into inappropriate sexual behavior. Little did I expect to encounter that kind of situation in hospice work. It was my second session with this patient, a [...]

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A glimmer of beauty

Her feet were perfect.  Long and slender, with toenails painted a sparkly shade of Grape Fanta, like any other teenaged girl’s would be.  I had no choice but to notice these lovely feet; I was massaging them gently as the patient lay in her hospital bed. Grateful for their ordinariness, yet trapped by it, I [...]

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“Nothing Happened!”

As a massage therapist I tend to believe that my work matters. In a typical work day I get a lot of positive feedback. Over and over again my clients tell me how much better they feel after their treatments, how much they look forward to seeing me, how much of a difference I make [...]

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When Alzheimer’s gets better by getting worse

“Go away…asshole.” These were the first words I heard from Norma Jean, about 3 minutes after we met. She wasn’t too happy about my attempt to lift her foot in order to stretch her leg. And so I stepped back, waited a few seconds, then sat down next to her and offered to put some [...]

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A day at hospice is still a day at work

I would be the first person to admit that it is very strange to work at a hospice. To spend all day in that kind of high-intensity environment, full of emotions, tragedy, and drama, and then to go home and walk the dog and cook dinner can feel surreal. Over the course of the workday [...]

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The media and the massage

Setting the atmosphere with music is standard practice among massage therapists. As a client, I have usually found this practice soothing, although occasionally it has proven highly irritating. Taste in music can be as varied as taste in food. What relaxes one person might start someone else’s TMJ grinding. A Chopin piano nocturne, John Coltrane [...]

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