Sitka Caregiving
Dear Editor: Imagine you find yourself on a medevac with your spouse, who is fighting for his life. Suddenly, it becomes clear the battle has been lost, the medevac flight turns around, and you are dropped with the body of your loved one in Sitka, Alaska, where you know no one, where you are all alone, in the middle of the night.
This was the situation I learned of in a text very early Tuesday morning. In acts of kindness beyond imaginable in most places, we were able to pull together a network of caregivers who have experience with grief to stay with our guest until the return flight to Fairbanks 12 hours after that text arrived. I want to thank the many people who received my calls for help, and especially those who were able to shift their day to assist a stranger in need.
From the night clerk at the Aspen who purchased a toothbrush, toothpaste and other items for our guest, to the excellent care of the medical staff, social worker, and funeral home staff and, in particular, the support team at Braveheart, many souls contributed to making this unwanted sojourn as tolerable as possible. Alaska Airlines, as always, responded with utmost compassion and professionalism.
Sadly, our guest spent a full night alone in a hotel room before we learned she was here, which has been recognized as a weakness in our community caregiving system in Sitka. I hope we can close this small but significant gap for those rare events when someone might find themselves unexpectedly in Sitka under the worst circumstances imaginable.
Thank you, Sitka, for being the compassionate community I am so honored to call home.
Rebecca Himschoot, Sitka
