Hospice Care in Minnetonka, MN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hospice Nurse’s Three-Word Advice Gave Our Family an Unexpected Lesson in Peace

As our father, Valford Albert Kelly, entered the final chapter of his life, my sister and I faced difficult decisions no family is ever prepared to make. Fear, exhaustion, uncertainty, and grief made everything feel urgent.

During one particularly difficult moment, a hospice nurse from St. Croix Hospice gently offered three simple words:

“Wait 24 hours.”

She wasn’t suggesting that time would change Dad’s condition.

She was reminding us that time might change us.

When emotions are high, clarity can be difficult to find. Decisions made in fear often look different after a night of rest, prayer, reflection, and perspective.

So we waited.

What felt overwhelming one day often became manageable the next.

Throughout Dad’s journey, the St. Croix Hospice team cared not only for him, but for our entire family. Nurses, a chaplain, a massage therapist, and a music therapist who filled his room with live guitar music helped transform one of the hardest experiences of our lives into one marked by dignity, compassion, and peace.

But perhaps the greatest gift they gave us was a lesson for all of us.

In a world that encourages immediate reactions and constant urgency, sometimes the wisest response is simply to pause.

When relationships are strained, difficult news arrives, or life feels overwhelming, we often rush to react. Yet sometimes the greatest act of courage is to wait—not because waiting changes the circumstance, but because it changes our perspective.

Wait. Trust God. Let peace catch up to your heart.

Sometimes 24 hours cannot change the situation.

But it can change how we walk through it.

And sometimes, that changes everything.

P.S. We would be remiss if we did not recognize our RN case worker, who was truly amazing. Her steady guidance, compassionate presence, and willingness to answer every question helped our family navigate an incredibly difficult time with confidence and peace. She cared for Dad with dignity and kindness while also caring for those of us who loved him. We will always be grateful for the comfort, support, and professionalism she brought to our journey.

The Kelly Family

In Loving Memory of
Valford Albert Kelly
June 15, 1934 – May 26, 2026