He Wanted to Die at Home

He Wanted to Die at Home.  Stitched words:  I refused to put my father in a home; Three years of loving care until he died.  Xylene photo transfer on tea-stained muslin.  Hand stitched. 25” x 19 unframed; 31” x 25” framed.  Click on image to enlarge.

Rhonda Hall is a talented, self-taught photographer who also works in mixed media.  She creates wonderful work, writes passionately about our environment and has a great blog.  (http://artfulexpresscreativelife.blogspot.com)

Rhonda also understands the concept behind my Decision Portrait Series and knew I wanted to present straightforward decisions without value judgment.  To do this, I often need to depict more than one option for a particularly difficult situation.  An earlier portrait, On Dealing with Alzheimer's, resonated with Rhonda.  She has worked as a nurse and has dealt with the myriad of issues involved with caring for the elderly.  She understands the choice to find professional care outside the home.  Rhonda's mother died in a hospital when she was only twelve.  Thus, when it came to her father, she made another choice...one that required tireless, loving care for three years.  Rhonda volunteered to share this with me through stitches.

The decisions every generation faces in handling their elder relatives can be stressful.  What is right for one person really isn't necessarily right for another.  Rhonda's loving care was a decision that required a great deal of work.  It was the best thing she could do.