“Hope remains”
Looking back at the month of April I am quite thankful, and honoured to be part of the care team at Hospice. The Hospice team invited me to take part in their annual volunteer dinner and appreciation ceremony. I was able to share some music that reflected the work I’ve done with a few of our patients. That night I shared a song I had written for a cancer survivor called, “Hope Remains.”
During the month I visited twelve patients and their families. I played familiar music, spirituals and classical guitar pieces to promote peace and wellbeing. Many patients expressed their appreciation, and found the music very beneficial for them.
There was one patient that I had to plan an extra long visit each week during March to the end of April. His family, friends and his community surrounded this man almost all day long. These people loved to sing; I participated in traditional native music, as well as popular spiritual music with them. The patient would often sing out a few lines of a song and I would pick it up and finish it for him. They wanted to sing many songs that I grew up listening to but I haven’t sung in years. There was a good connection with us, “When is Joe going to be here?” I was told he would ask throughout the week. I came every Wednesday for him. I had to miss one Wednesday due to poor road conditions but the following week I gave him an extra long session. He really enjoyed it when I brought in my handmade wooden flutes.
During our sessions I would not only play familiar songs for him, but each week I wrote a short melody for him. Each time his close friend recorded it on paper. These friends stayed at his side like a king’s attendant, they served, comforted and continually prayed for him. Each week one of the ladies would sing beautiful harmonies with me, she also sang with me at his celebration service. The melodies I created talked about his wealth spring of involvement in his community; how he was like a river of living water to every person he came in contact with. This man was a very spiritual person, believing faith is the most important attribute in every man. I helped encourage his faith by singing spiritual hymns, and putting psalms to music for him. One week while playing in his room, the whole room started to glow brighter, even though it was an overcast day. It was a great symbolism for what was happening emotionally for the client and his family.
He would often quote scriptures from the bible and I would reinforce them with a tune. It was distressing to him that he was forgetting some of his favourite verses. Music therapy helped him with recollection of his beloved passages and facilitated expressing his words of encouragement even when he lost the ability to speak.
I continued to serve the family during his Celebration service. There was over 300 people in attendance, with many other musicians contributing their songs of hope and love for the family. The service started and ended with the music that I played for him during his stay at Hospice. I also shared a medley of music he and his wife had requested for the celebration service. It was a blessing and honour to be part of this family’s journey, even to the happy conclusion. Many people commented, “I’ve never been to a funeral like this, it was so happy and peaceful.”
Music brings life to life.
Joe Graham Music Therapist http://www.truegroovemusictherapy.com
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