When Louise Chickie-Wolfe thinks about her late husband Raleigh, she is “joyfully overwhelmed” with their inspiring love story.
Working as Raleigh’s medical secretary at the Hammond Clinic in their Clinical Psychology department, Louise and her family became very close to his and often gathered socially. Twenty-three years later, when she heard Raleigh’s late wife died of breast cancer, she reached out to offer her condolences.
“He was so sweet and sensitive, and I had sworn off men after going through a divorce,” said Louise. “He asked me to have coffee with him and remembered I was a tea drinker. It was a “magical” meeting filled with laughter and tears. I remember the waitress coming over to inform us that the restaurant had closed 30 minutes ago.”
When Raleigh was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Louise never left his side, and their journey took a different turn. Louise was grateful to the team at Hospice of the Calumet Area for the “amazing kindness and expertise they brought to their family.”
“I always knew hospice care would be special, but I had no idea how supportive they would be for Raleigh and our entire family,” said Louise. “We became so close to the team that came to visit and offer their compassion. I’ll never forget their kindness.”
During Raleigh’s last days, she contemplated the perfect birthday gift for her husband.
It would be a tiny Havanese named Tulsa that would bring him so much love and joy.
Louise remembers how Tulsa was so connected to and cuddled right up to him as they both napped.
“Tulsa is just such a fabulous joy,” said Louise. “I’ll never forget the smiles he forced upon Raleigh at the most challenging of times. We called those cookie crumble days.”
In early June, Louise called HCA and inquired about Tulsa becoming a therapy dog for our Caring Canines Pet Therapy program. Tulsa will be trained and certified.
“He’s such a gift and I want to share Tulsa,” said Louise. “Picasso once said, ‘it’s one thing to have a gift, it’s another to share it’ and I agree.”
HCA feels privileged to have Tulsa join our team and anxiously awaits his help with cherishing the lives of patients and families for years to come.
