Visit to Detroit and the Hospice of Michigan: September 27-28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Returning from Canada to the U.S.
My train to return to Windsor was booked for 8:57 from Brantford. I left with Jackie just before 7 am. We had rough directions on how to get there. In Cambridge Jackie asked me which direction to go and I said straight ahead. Luckily my 'bat radar' (a weird sense of direction) was right and we reached Route 24 heading to Osbourne Corners, where I had met up with Jayne Graham days before.
I navigated Jackie through Brantford using a back roads map and we reached the train station with plenty of time to spare.
At 8:30 the station doors opened. I said my goodbyes to Jackie and was soon aboard the train back to Windsor.
The countryside with fields of sweet corn and beans rolled on by. The distance that had taken me days to walk was covered in a matter of hours.
The train pulled in at mid-day, which was about 7 minutes early.
Peggy Winch from Windsor Hospice met me at the train station and drove me across to the bus station, where I could get a bus to go through the tunnel to Detroit.
I thanked Peggy and was left at the bus station with five Detroit Lions football fans. The tunnel bus pulled up and in no time we were at the tunnel entrance. Traffic in the tunnel crawled along.
Will U.S. Customs Give Me Any Problem?
As we reached the U.S. side I was anxious. The Lions fans had no bags. There was me with my backpack standing out like a sore thumb. The bus stopped and we all trooped through immigration control. I handed my passport over to an immigration officer with a moustache. I told him I was walking for hospice and stopping to give talks and interviews about hospice along the way. He handed me back my passport and just asked me to put my bag through the X-ray machine. I was asked if everything in the bag was mine and whether I had any drugs or weapons. It was all over in a few minutes. I climbed back on the bus and was dropped at the entrance to the tunnel.
Finding My To a Hotel
I had a small map of the center of Detroit, with very few roads marked.
Behind me were the towers of the Renaissance Center, silver in the fabulous sunshine.
From my map it looked like Randolph Street joined Gratiot. I remembered Gratiot from back in 1988.
As I was getting close to Gratiot to old guys walking along asked me where I had walked from. They were impressed when I said New York. They wished me luck. I asked if there was a hotel close by and they said the Hilton Garden Inn was close on Gratiot. I thanked them. In no time I found the Hilton Garden Inn. The door at the front was locked, but a sign said to enter at the rear by the valet parking.
I asked the receptionist how far it was to the Hospice of Michigan on Mack Street. She gave me directions and said it was less than two miles.
I booked into the hotel. It was good to have a safe base in downtown Detroit.
Exploring the Route to the Hospice of Michigan
I left most of my gear and my passport in the hotel room, but left with my camera and wallet...not sure if that was a wise move.
As I walked up by the Lions Stadium there were crowds of Detroit Lions fans who had come out at half time for drinks, food, or some other reason. The road was blocked by army vehicles and there were police cars and police patrolling the area.
I walked between the Lions and Tigers stadiums. Beyond the stadiums lay derelict buildings. Some had once been fancy houses downtown, but now had roofs caving in, missing windows and damage from vandalism. Open patches of long grass and wire fences surrounded what few buildings there were. To add to the feeling of desolation there was steam rising out of drain covers. After walking through the area around the Renaissance Center the wasteland and derelict buildings were a shock.
In less than half an hour I reached the Hospice of Michigan building. It was large and new, behind black metal railings. I found the entrance on Mack Avenue and at least now knew where the building was and how to get to the entrance.
I headed back to the hotel and sought the sanctuary of the Hilton Garden Inn. On the way past the Lions Stadium there were several men in wheelchairs begging for money.
It was a relief to get back to the hotel and eat there in the bar called the Chrome Grill.
I needed to be at the Hospice of Michigan for 10 am, so planned on leaving at about 9 am to give myself plenty of time. I was glad that I had a good place to stay and that at least tomorrow I could find the hospice office.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Meeting the Team at the Hospice of Michigan
The road up to the Hospice of Michiganwas quiet, even at 9 am on a Monday morning. I walked up to the building and went on in.
A sign welcoming Dr. Skinner was there. I smiled at that. Leslie Kota came out to meet me and showed me to a room where I would be talking to the hospice staff.
Setting up the computer equipment was the head of maintenance, Chris Peraino: a tall man with short dark hair.
My presentation went well. The staff were impressed by what I had been through to help hospices. I met Rae Anne Cinder, the Development Director for the hospice. We talked briefly about the Hospice of Michigan. The hospice had around 1,000 volunteers and helped 900 people each day in the Detroit area and other counties. There were additional Hospice of Michigan offices in Saginaw, Tawas and Alpena.
A Moving Video: “Except for Six”
Rae Anne also suggested that I watch a video documentary that the Hospice of Michigan had just made.
The video was called “Except for Six”. It followed a man called Ron through 100 days of hospice care. The video also told the story of two or three other patients as well as a doctor who had lost a child at an early age.
The title was “Except for Six” because Ron had said you could “screw over” everyone you knew, except for six...as you needed them to carry your coffin.
Ron was an amazing character, always ready with a joke or smile. He joked about being worried about leaving his wife...saying he should have left her 10 years ago. The film showed nurses and social workers that were involved in Ron's care. There were also comments from doctors and key members of the hospice administration. One fact that stuck in my mind was that only 1% of doctors were trained in palliative care.
Ron's good humor as he faced dealing with cancer was incredible. Ron also had a philosophy of life. He believed that if what you did helped one person then it was worth it. He was believed in helping the other guy, and if you did someone a favor it would come full circle back to you. The nursing care allowed him to stay at home for most of the 100 days. The hospice staff supported Ron and his wife Betty. Ron's stepdaughter Nancy also helped keeping Ron's medication and pain relief organized.
At times I laughed and at times I had to hold back tears. Ron's message was that through hospice he had a bunch of people on his side. As day 100 came and Ron was near the end he whispered “I love you” to his wife Nancy.
I was glad I watched the video. It showed how hospice prepared and supported Ron and his family. It showed Ron at home, too, spending time with his son and grandson and stepdaughter. In the process Ron had the chance to spend precious moments with his family and have some level of control over his life. To think that the Hospice of Michigan was helping 900 people each day in the same way they had helped Ron was incredible.
As the video finished I thanked Leslie and prepared to go. The staff from the Hospice of Michigan waved me off. The rain was falling and I put my coat on.
Moving on through Detroit
Turning right on Mack Avenue I headed for Gratiot. A stop at a McDonalds fueled me for the walk. Beyond an area called the Eastern Markets the buildings again became run down and derelict. With the rain falling heavily I got on to Gratiot, which was the road I would follow for 50 miles or more to reach Port Huron.
I hadn't been on Gratiot long before a man asked me if I was lost and if I needed to find a bus. I explained about walking from New York to North Dakota. He looked at me as if I was crazy. Strangely, though, he followed behind me. At a couple of points I saw him talking to a couple of teenage kids. I had the feeling that he was actually checking I was OK as I walked through downtown Detroit.
At a car repair shop one of the workers called out to me. I just gave him a thumbs up. At another car repair shop a young guy with two others began chanting something as I walked by...and he didn't look friendly.
I just kept on walking.
Past churches with bars over their windows and high railings around them, I carried on.
I stopped at a place that was advertised as a Subway, but there were no restrooms. The man serving was behind thick plexiglass. I bought a bottle of chocolate milk, but couldn't see any sign of subs.
Outside were areas where concrete parking lots were being taken over by weeds and small trees. Many buildings had been gutted, or were filled with trash.
A Welcome Offer: A Home Stay with Chris Peraino
I reached 7 mile road and a black truck pulled up beside me on a side road. The window rolled down and inside was Chris Peraino from the Hospice of Michigan. He offered me a place to stay at his house in Roseville. He drew me a map and it was only about two hours walk away just beyond 12 Mile Road.
I was relieved that I had a place to stay.
Beyond 8 Mile Road there was an abrupt change. There were no longer derelict buildings. The businesses and properties were all well maintained.
By 6 pm I reached 12 Mile Road.
As I turned into Chris' road he came cycling towards me.It was good. Chris' wife Sandy had made tuna and pasta for dinner and there was plenty for me. I met Chris and Sandy's sons Rocco and Dante and their daughters Samantha and Liberty. Their oldest son Jamie was in the army in Afghanistan and they also had a niece called Kailee staying with them. Their family home was a wonderful place to be.
At about 9 Sandy brought out some dips and nachos. I talked to Sandy and Kailee. Kailee was training to be a nurse.
The hospitality of the Peraino family was fantastic. By midnight I had showered, checked my e-mail and was ready for sleep. Detroit was behind me and Port Huron lay ahead.
