We recently connected with John Wenderlein and have shared our conversation below.
John, appreciate you joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?
Working as a Hospice Chaplain, I have countless stories of patients coming to the end of their lives, and I am honored to be with them when they go. Here is one of the numerous stories. I work in visiting Nursing Homes primarily, and I had gone to visit one of my regular patients. The Nurses at all the homes I call know that if they have someone who might not be our my service but needs a cheerful greeting, they can tell me, and I will always take the time to visit. This would be one of those times. As I passed by the nurse in the hall of the care center, she called me over and explained to me about a sweet patient who wasn’t doing well and asked if I could visit. Of course, I said, and she directed me to her room. As I entered Mrs. Kathy’s room, she was setting slightly up in her bed with a big smile. Her eyes caught mine almost at once. And before I could even explain who I was, she said hello and how happy she was I was visiting. Please understand we had never met before. I reached out, took her hand, and as I held it, I told her there could be no better place to be than in her presence. While talking, I noticed she was falling back to sleep, which was expected, seeing sometimes the medications these patients are given cause them to sleep. So Mrs. Kathy and I spent the next twenty minutes talking about life things— children, careers, likes, dislikes. And again, all the time we were talking, she would slip into sleep. During this time, I never stopped holding her tiny, frail hand, and she still had a good grip for someone who was long a senior citizen. I was doing most of the talking, but that was not surprising because I like to talk. Realizing she had fallen asleep and was no longer waking up to respond. I told her I would leave her and would do so with a prayer. As it is with all my patients, my prayer was that the Lord be merciful to us. When I opened my eyes, something came over me that was always hard to explain. But I knew in my very spirit Mrs. Kathy was gone. Gone in that she had passed away. I remember laying her hand across her chest, stroking her hair, and then going out to get the nurse. Rhonda, I said. You know I’m not a doctor, but I think Mrs. Kathy has gone to be with the three children and her husband she had outlived. Following Rhonda back into Mrs. Kathy’s room, she checked her vitals and thus concluded that yes she was gone. How wonderful it was that, at that moment in time, I could come alongside someone so sweet and help her through that moment when she left us. This is just one of hundreds of stories I have lived. And in fact, my first book “Remember Me. End-of-life stories through the eyes of a hospice chaplain can be found on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
John, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I currently work as a hospice chaplain, and I have a passion for those coming to the last season of their lives for many years, sometimes overwhelming. I live in Debary, FL, with my wife Melinda. One underlying reason why I do what I do is that everyone has a story that needs to be told. There has been no one I have cared for that didn’t need first to know they are loved. And then, I knew that I cared about their lives. I am Ordained a Minister of the Christian Faith. I would read my book to find out how I wound up in this profession. My second book will be out soon. Blessings
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I would go back and let my only career be a Hospice Chaplain. When I tell people what I do for a living when I meet them, the idea of a chaplain is terrific to most, but as a hospice chaplain, many tell me they don’t see how I can do it. But honestly, I can only think of doing something else once I can no longer work.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Love is the key to all things REAL. I have spent the majority of my life studying the bible. And if you’re not a believer, then that’s okay. But for me, it all came down to one thing Jesus Christ said while still on this earth. He said,” If you don’t have love in your heart, you don’t have me.” I had one of my patients ask me. Chaplain, why do you keep asking me if I’m in pain? I paused, looked straight into her eyes, and told her. I loved her too much to see her in pain. We were the best of friends until she left. If I can do one thing and only one thing with my patients, it would be to help them understand it’s going to be ok.
Contact Info:
- Website: RememberMeJw.com
- Instagram: John Wenderlein
- Facebook: John Wenderlein