Gabriel House fosters lasting friendships
Hearing the words “you have cancer” changes your life in an instant sending you spiraling into a world with more questions than answers.
Will I survive? What happens next? And how will this impact my family emotionally and financially? These were many of the questions running through Ed and Jodi’s minds when they learned Ed had prostate cancer in June 2011.
During Ed’s routine health check, his physician found his PSA level was elevated, possibly indicating cancer. Antibiotic treatment was unsuccessful and a biopsy showed Ed had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. After weighing his treatment options, he chose to have surgery, which showed it had spread beyond the prostate. Following several consultations and second opinions, Ed and Jodi chose to come from their home in Tennessee to Mayo Clinic for eight-weeks of radiation therapy.
With the decision made to come to Jacksonville, their next hurdle was finding an affordable place to live for two months. Not wanting to stay in a hotel, they learned about Gabriel House from his Mayo physician. Ed and Jodi visited the house to see if it was an option for them.
“I have to admit we didn’t know what to expect not knowing much about hospitality houses or how they worked. We weren’t sure if it would be stressful sharing common areas like the kitchen and we didn’t want to add more stress to the already overwhelming amount we had with leaving home and my job for two months of cancer treatments,” explained Ed. “However all of our apprehension went away once we walked into Gabriel House. The facility was beautiful; the staff was very reassuring and answered all of our questions and concerns. We knew we were in the right place.”
What they didn’t expect was the many different aspects of their lives that would be touched and in ways that would last beyond the Gabriel House walls.
“Staying at Gabriel House was wonderful. It reduced our stress in many ways with the short distance to my treatments, a manageable cost, and meeting terrific people. However, what was most remarkable and unexpected was how quickly we became a big family. We reacted with joy when there was good news for someone and we comforted each other when there was bad news. Our caregivers had each other to lean on when they needed someone to talk to or who would just listen. You can’t get this kind of support at a hotel where your neighbors are moving in and out daily,” explained Ed. “Plus the bonds we made with some of the guests have lasted over the past couple of years. After returning home, I went back to work and then retired in July 2012. A few weeks later, Jodi and I embarked on a five-week cross-country trip that included visiting three couples we met at Gabriel House. Our stops included West Yellowstone, Montana; Galveston, Texas, and Merced, California. This past April, we visited with another couple who lives in northwest Florida. All of them are wonderful blessings that we received during a very difficult time in our lives. We are very grateful for each of them as they have touched our lives in a very special way.”