Commentor Keith G posted on Xmas Eve:
There are a handful of places that, aside for holiday decor, continue to do what they do without regard to seasonal festivities.
A hospice is one such place.
Today we did what we do. We provided a warm and caring place for a family to gather as their loved one died – which she did at 9:13 AM. With hugs and tears we comforted the family and they in turn comforted us. The heartfelt thanks from everyone of the family was the best present I could think of receiving.
Later on, we sat down to share a pork loin roast (brined with my special recipe), dressing, wild rice, and greens.
Tomorrow back at the hospice which is located in an historic home built in 1919. A grand holiday buffet will be provided to staff, residents and families by a local gay bar (we are a nonprofit serving patients who are fighting AIDS).
Which reminded me that I hadn’t posted a link to Harold Pollack’s piece at the Washington Monthly
AIDS Is Still with Us, Still Taking Too Many Lives
Overshadowed by the tragedy in Newtown and the fiscal cliff farce, CDC’s latest report–Estimated HIV incidence in the United States: 2007-2010–didn’t get the attention it deserves…Recent news is not very surprising. It is not especially good, either. An estimated 47,500 Americans became HIV-infected in 2010, about the same number of new infections as occurred in 2007.