How do you say a heartfelt “Thank You” through so much grief?
We had to use Caring Pathways for the second time in 11 months. This was totally unexpected, as we thought we had years left with our Rose. She suddenly developed neurological issues with her spine. We tried conservative care, but she declined very quickly—basically within a matter of hours on a Saturday morning. In a frenzy, we called Caring Pathways to see if they could come out the same day, as we felt this was the best option for our baby rather than putting her through the pain and suffering of ER visits. We knew they would likely recommend an uncertain surgery to try and restore her quality of life.
We were sent an amazing angel on this earth by the name of Dr. Kira Forlenza.
Dr. Kira arrived, and even though we were already deep in grief at the thought of losing our beautiful Rose, she immediately started comforting not only us but also Rose, who was in need. She asked what had been happening with Rose and about her sudden decline. She reassured us—many times—that we had done everything right for Rose and that there was no reason to feel guilty. She even offered her professional opinion on what could have caused such a rapid decline. Surely, Dr. Kira could see the pain we were in, and she shared in that pain with us. She is truly a kindhearted and understanding person.
We had been through this before with Rose’s beloved brother, Rocky, so we knew what to expect. Dr. Kira was soft, gentle, kind, and loving toward Rose, as if she had known her all her life. She comforted Rose and us, listening to our stories of love and gratitude for the time we shared with Rocky and Rose. As shattered as my husband and I were, Dr. Kira took the time to understand every word and every tear we shed. She even shared a personal story with me, which I deeply appreciated and found comforting in my grief. I still carry extreme guilt that I couldn’t save my sweet Rose in this life, but Dr. Kira did everything she could to alleviate that burden.
Afterward, we received a beautiful card from Dr. Kira in the mail. The things she wrote showed that she had truly listened to everything I said to her on one of the worst days of my life. She was kind, thoughtful, gentle, and patient. She gave us all the time we needed in our home to say goodbye to our beloved Rose before taking her on her final ride. We never felt rushed, nor did we feel like a burden for the time Dr. Kira spent with us.
Dr. Kira is a very special person, able to hold space for our grief and share in it with us for as long as we needed.
These wonderful people at Caring Pathways—they are angels on earth. I am so grateful that Dr. Kira was there to help us through the unthinkable.
