THE VILLAGES — Joann Szuhay feels she was put on Earth for a reason — to be a hospice nurse. Her patients and their families seem to agree.

"Thank God for her. She calls me all the time and says, ‘What do you need?' " said Henry Pollack, who is under hospice care as he copes with prostate cancer.

As a staff nurse at Hospice of Lake and Sumter in The Villages, Szuhay's day consists of calling and visiting people who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. Usually the patients are terminally ill with six months or less to live.

Hospice workers do not try to cure illnesses, but they provide services to make patients as comfortable as possible in their remaining days. Hospice also provides counseling for families before and after a patient's death.

"Flexibility and patience are two things a person needs to have down at this job," Szuhay said. "You have to appreciate each patient and family for where they are in this process."

Pollack was first referred to hospice care in April, but after a short time he decided he didn't need it as he sought aggressive cancer treatment. A few months later, he returned to hospice care.

On Wednesday morning, Pollack's house was the first stop for Szuhay, who normally visits each patient once a week. On this particular trip, she was accompanied by Dr. Brian Liebersbach, who visits patients at least once a month, more often if needed.

"He's always available by phone," Szuhay explained. "He's like a portable doctor's office. He'll either come right over or tell me what to do."

Pollack still receives medical treatment outside of hospice, but he relies on Szuhay and Liebersbach for additional needs. Henry and his wife, Yvonne, said one of the most beneficial aspects of hospice is having someone to address their concerns at any time.

She said calling a doctor's office is more difficult because she does not want to feel like a burden on the doctor's time. Calling a hospice worker like Szuhay allows Yvonne to get her questions answered and may avoid a trip to the emergency room.

But they also talked with the couple about movies, the weather and Thanksgiving dinner. In many cases, hospice care is about providing friendship as well as physical comfort.

Szuhay's next stop was the house of Sue Watson, who lost her husband, Ronnie, to cancer just days earlier. Szuhay had cared for Ronnie over a period of several weeks before his death.

Wednesday's visit was somewhat atypical for Szuhay, but she wanted to be there when hospice social worker Joyce Soto delivered a turkey dinner. Hospice of Lake and Sumter provides Thanksgiving dinners for select families every year.

Sue said the hospice workers have come to feel like family, and Szuhay and Soto don't hesitate to give out hugs along with their words of comfort.

Upon being diagnosed with cancer, Ronnie decided to avoid the sickness that would have come with treatment, choosing instead to die at home. Hospice provided a hospital bed in the Watsons' home, but Ronnie declined to use it, Sue said. He wanted to die in his own bed, and that's exactly what he did.

"You should have seen it," Sue told her Wednesday. "It was absolutely beautiful. He snuggled up to me. I told him I was ready to let him go. ... I said, ‘I'm OK; the family's OK. Just rest and be with God.' He opened one eye and looked at me. ... He didn't struggle. He wasn't in pain. He died happy, the way he wanted to."

Hospice of Lake and Sumter offers bereavement counseling to family members for as long as a year after a patient's death as well as grief support groups.

Although Szuhay was not present at the moment of Ronnie's death, she said she has been present at other deaths, and that Ronnie's experience is not uncommon.

"The process of dying for me is a good thing, not a bad thing," she said. "I don't force my beliefs on anyone else, but I believe this isn't the end. That's not a hospice philosophy, but that's me personally. My belief system helps me handle my job."

Szuhay's third visit of the day was a change of pace from her previous stop. Ed Brennan and his wife, Beth, were full of smiles and laughter when Szuhay arrived. Despite Ed's illness, the couple stays in good spirits.

Ed is in the early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He also has diabetes, which complicates matters.

The couple has spent much of their lives in positions of helping people and said that maybe now is the time to start accepting help for themselves.

During her visit, Ed told Szuhay of the pain and swelling in his joints and talked about his disappointment that he doesn't drive anymore. The decision not to drive, he said, was made by Beth, but after discussing the risks with Szuhay, he agreed that it would be best for him to stay off the road.

Hospice of Lake and Sumter is a nonprofit organization that provides care based on individual need. Most hospice care services are paid for through private insurance companies or Medicare and Medicaid. Most expenses not covered by one of those will be funded by Hospice through donations.

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