Guardian Angel When She Needed Them Most
Ernestine—Guardian Angel When She Needed Them Most
Ernestine Herd lost the love of her life and his mother in the span of six months.
Ernestine first met Dennis Rees back in 1996 at a trade show in San Antonio, Texas when she, a musician, spotted Dennis’s handmade harps. “I told him, ‘Oh, you just must build me a harp. I have to have one too,’” she recalls. Many of Dennis’s family members have told the story that when he came home from that trade show, he started building a harp for me, having no idea if he would ever be able to give it to me.”
There was a connection from the beginning, but Ernestine lived in Tennessee and Dennis lived in Wisconsin. It wasn’t until 2009 when the two met again, completely by chance, when Herd needed an attorney in Phoenix and one of her friends recommended Dennis Rees. Ernestine recognized the name immediately. “I jumped out of my chair, and I was pacing up and down the hall,” she said. “Do I call? Do I not call? Is he married? Is he not married?” As it turned out, Dennis was pacing the sidewalk waiting for her to call. For Ernestine and Dennis, as soon as they reconnected, that was that. By 2010, they were engaged. She moved to San Antonio to be with him on the 4th of July 2014.
Not long after moving to San Antonio, Dennis’s mother, Verda Rees, who lived in Aztec, New Mexico became sick with congestive heart failure. So, the couple decided to move to Aztec to be closer to Dennis’s mother.
Dennis began to feel sick with what he thought was a sinus infection. Instead, the doctors found a lump. “I hadn’t been here [Aztec] for forty-five days when Dennis was diagnosed with stage four [esophageal] cancer.” The couple put off plans for their wedding to focus instead on both Dennis’s care and the care of his mother, Verda.
That’s when Guardian Angel Home Health came into their lives. As his cancer progressed, Guardian’s palliative care team were there to alleviate his symptoms and ensure he was as comfortable as possible.
Dennis’s doctors recommended hospice care services to help manage Dennis’s comfort and quality
of life.
When Dennis needed oxygen due to the mass growing in his throat, Guardian’s hospice team communicated his need with the doctor and made sure oxygen was delivered to their home the same day the doctor prescribed it. And, after Dennis’s tracheotomy, Guardian’s speech therapy team helped him learn how to speak again so he could continue to communicate, and Guardian Angel provided nutritional support in helping him adjust to his new diet.
“They were so wonderful through everything,” Ernestine says. “When I had questions, there was always an answer. And when I didn’t understand what needed to be done, they were there right away to help me. Guardian Angel’s care team was a great comfort, I think to Dennis as well, because he knew I didn’t have to go through this all alone.” Ernestine never got to marry the love of her life, who passed away on April 9, 2021, but she was able to stay by his side through it all.
After Dennis passed, Ernestine’s attention turned to Verda, Dennis’s mother, affectionately called “Grandma” by all who knew her. “She had congestive heart failure over the years,” Ernestine says. “Her heart was slowing down, and Dennis’s passing just devastated her.”
Guardian Angel Home Health started caring for Verda while her son Dennis was still alive. Guardian’s personal care team assisted Verda with the activities of daily living such as personal hygiene and chores around her home like shopping, laundry, and housekeeping. Verda also received therapy from Guardian’s physical therapy team to assist her in learning to use her walker. “Two gentlemen physical therapists came in,” Ernestine explained, “and they were just adorable. Still miss one of them quite a bit. I hope he knows I’m talking about him.” After Dennis’s passing, Verda slowed down physically and emotionally. Sadly, Verda passed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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