Isn’t one of the best things to do in life to laugh at ourselves? If we have no sense of humor, then who are we? Although we in no way are claiming that hospice care is anything to joke about, of course, one man and his good friend decided to poke fun at the home health care system and inevitabilities of death in a playful way.
93-year-old Harry Azoff, accompanied by his hospice volunteer, Morgan Thompson, set out to lift some light into the subject of aging and hospice with their “Hospice-tality” play addressing Azoff’s “impending death.” Only 30 minutes long, the play plucked at the heartstrings of Azoff’s family and friends telling stories of his life with musical hints tied in done by his favorite music therapist, Molly Hicks. Even plays on words of the ever-famous and dreaded Grim Reaper were well-received by his hospice friends. “Have you ever seen cartoon drawings of the Grim Reaper? How can anyone take that guy seriously,” his character asks in the short play. And, we have to agree, the whole manifestation of death carrying a massive scythe is a little over-the-top now that we think about it.
Besides living a very full life, Azoff has miraculously outlived his doctors’ estimates after being diagnosed with kidney disease; maybe it’s all of the humor circulating in his veins. Although neither Azoff nor Thompson has any professional playwriting or singing experience, the two made ballads until the cows came home and enjoyed every minute of it. To make the story even more heartfelt, as if it could be, Thompson is blind in one eye and has impaired vision in the other making it almost impossible for her to even see Azoff. “Maybe I can’t see people’s physical bodies as well, but I can see their souls better,” she said. “Harry has a beautiful, beautiful spirit inside of him,” she told the Herald.
Creating joke-upon-joke of various hospice visits between himself and Thompson, they poked fun at the typical jargon spoken between patient-and-professional like “Are you having any pain issues since I saw you last?” To which Azoff would respond with “Not unless you count existential pain.” Although the two are very aware that Azoff’s time is coming to a close like their curtain eventually had to, Thompson stated to the Herald Tribune that she finds peace helping Azoff share his story. And, what a beautiful story it is.
Phoenix home health care professionals can help you with more advice or questions you may have. For more information on our services, experience, or rates, call (602) 396-5742 or fill out our contact form. We look forward to serving you.