Hospice Helped Me Keep My Promise

How one woman cared for her family with strength, love, and support from Hosparus Health

Tippi McTyeire spent her life moving forward. A long-distance runner for more than 50 years, she was used to pushing through discomfort, staying focused, and showing up for the people she loved. When her father, husband, and mother each became seriously ill, she stepped into a new kind of endurance.

To each of them, she made the same promise:
“You won’t die in a hospital. You’ll die at home.”

With the support of hospice care, palliative care, and grief counseling from Hosparus Health and Pallitus Health Partners, she kept that promise.

Her Father’s Story

Tippi first encountered Hosparus Health after her father, George Oster’s, spleen ruptured during a trip out of state for a scheduled treatment for a pre-existing medical condition. While in a Florida hospital, a nurse took Tippi aside.

“She said, ‘You need to get your dad home. His situation isn’t fixable, and he wants to go home.’”

Tippi asked her father what he wanted. “He told me he just wanted to be in his own house.”

The nurse helped the family arrange transport back to Kentucky and contacted Hosparus Health to coordinate care. “He died peacefully, in his own bed, exactly where he wanted to be.”

That experience shaped how she approached care for her husband and mother. “I knew Hosparus would do everything possible to help make that happen for us.”

From Hope to Caregiving

Tippi’s husband, Quint, had lived with Parkinson’s disease for more than a decade. In early 2023, he underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. “He was walking, talking, no tremors, none of the speech problems. It gave him a short burst of life again.”

Then came the stomach pain. Within days, they learned Quint had stage four cancer that had started in his appendix and spread through his colon. “They said, ‘You’re not leaving the hospital.’ We were stunned. He had passed all the pre-surgical testing in perfect health.”

From that moment on, Tippi became his full-time caregiver with help from the Hosparus Health team.

Learning Everything Overnight

Quint’s illness required constant support. Tippi had never used medical equipment, but she learned quickly. “I had to suction fluid from his stomach 20 times a day. I didn’t know how to give injections. I had no medical background. But the nurses taught me. They said, ‘Don’t be afraid of the machines. Don’t be afraid of the medications.’ And I listened.”

Hosparus Health delivered hospital beds, oxygen, wound care supplies, and medications. They also gave Tippi room to take care of herself. “When someone came in to help, I could shower. I could walk around the block or get coffee. I didn’t realize how much I needed those moments.”

A Weekend They’ll Never Forget

Quint’s final wish was to attend four University of Louisville football games. Tippi and Hosparus made it happen.

For the first away game in Indiana, she brought oxygen, hired a nurse, and invited friends to join them. “We didn’t know how long we’d have, but he wanted to go, and I was going to make it happen.”

When the oxygen tank ran low during the trip, she called Hosparus for help troubleshooting the issue. “We pulled it off. It meant everything to him.”

Quint lived nine months after his diagnosis. He remained at home until the end, supported by the Hosparus team and the 24-hour Patient Care Line, which Tippi kept saved to her speed dial. “I promised him he wouldn’t die in a hospital, and with Hosparus’ help, I kept that promise.”

Palliative Care Helped Her Mother Stay at Home

Soon after Quint died, Tippi’s mother, Stephanie Oster, showed her a leg wound that had become infected. As her condition worsened, Tippi called the Pallitus Health Partners palliative care team.

“She was very independent and wanted to stay in her home. The team helped me manage the next steps and supported both of us through that process.”

They delivered medications and wound care supplies and taught Tippi how to change her mother’s dressings.

“I wish people would realize this care isn’t about death or giving up. It’s about helping people with chronic illnesses live better.”

As Stephanie’s health declined, the team helped transition her to hospice care, and still helped her remain in the home she loved.

“They were honest. I loved that they had enough experience to tell me the truth about her condition. That made a difference. Everyone else was pretending she was going to bounce back. Their help allowed us to be prepared for her to pass away at home, supported and comfortable. With her beloved dog, Maggie, by her side.”

Grief, and the Weight It Carries

Tippi now works with a grief counselor through Hosparus Health. “He helped me understand that people don’t give themselves time to grieve. They’re too busy surviving, handling paperwork, managing everything. Grief is often suppressed or put on hold until a more manageable time, but it lingers.”

She shared how her identity felt fractured by loss. “I miss the version of myself before everyone died. I keep hoping I’ll feel like her again.”

One day, she had a panic attack—her first. “My counselor told me to come in that day. He helped me realize that grief stays in the body until we’re able to process it. When it hits, Hosparus grief counseling services are invaluable.”

A Voice for Others

Today, Tippi helps others find care by sharing her story. “People wait too long. They think calling hospice means giving up. It doesn’t. It means getting help. It means making life better for your loved one and for yourself.”

When a friend told her she wasn’t ready for hospice, even after a stage four diagnosis, Tippi replied: “If you’re stage four and not ready, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. Call them. They can help.”

What She Wants Families to Know

Tippi believes many families still misunderstand what hospice care really means. “It’s not about death. It’s about quality of life, support, and relief. It’s about giving people the care they deserve in their own home.”

She kept three promises not because she had all the answers, but because she had support.

“If someone you love is seriously ill, don’t wait. Call. Don’t try to do it all alone.”

Learn more about hospice care, palliative care, and grief support from Hosparus Health:

• Hosparus Health: hosparushealth.org or call 800-HOSPICE
• Pallitus Health Partners: pallitushealth.org or call 855-599-8954
• Grief Counseling Services: hosparushealth.org/grief-counseling or call 502-456-5451