A sip of cold cider. A crunch of apple. The sweetness of a cinnamon sugar doughnut.
For 30 years, Gloria Koch enjoyed those tastes of autumn, surrounded by her family, during their annual visit to an orchard.
To her surprise, she made the trip once again this year―despite being in hospice care. Despite congestive heart failure. Despite the fact she had not been outdoors in weeks.
Her family and caregivers at Spectrum Health Hospice cooked up the plan that made the treat possible.
“Isn’t that neat?” Koch said with a smile.
Sitting at a dining room table with her daughter, Lynda McGarvey, and granddaughter Jessica Schiebout, she talked about her health, illness and the tradition that has been a fall highlight for decades.
At 87, Koch is matriarch to a sprawling clan that includes three sons, one daughter, 13 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and two great-greats. She raised her family as a single parent, living in Wyoming, Michigan, and working as an administrative assistant for a church organization.
Because of her illness, she now lives in her daughter’s home in Coopersville.
Thirty years ago, she and her daughter made their first trip to Klackle Orchards in Greenville, bringing McGarvey’s daughter, Jessica, who was just 2.
A tradition was born. Koch visited the orchard year after year, with an assortment of children and grandchildren.
“We always go the last Saturday of September,” she said. “That’s when the galas and honey crisps are out.”
They picked apples, explored the maze, and watched the kids play on the playground and ride ponies.
McGarvey gave her a mom a look. “Really, it’s the cider and doughnuts we go for,” she said.
Koch agreed. Especially the cinnamon spice doughnuts, she said. And the caramel apple ones.
‘A different season’
This year, Koch experienced a series of health setbacks. She has congestive heart failure, a leaky heart valve, atrial fibrillation and emphysema. She had planned to get surgery for a hiatal hernia, but could not do so because of blood clots.
In early September, she decided to begin hospice care. It was a difficult decision, one that she didn’t want to talk about much at first.
“I just thought it was a death warrant,” she said.
She found it reassuring to know, however, that she still had the option of leaving hospice care if she decided to seek curative treatment.
“I shouldn’t worry about those things anyway because I know where I’m going,” she added. “Your days are all planned out and it shouldn’t matter what your doctor says. You will live as long as you are given life.”
To her surprise, she began to feel better. With help from her medical team, she lost 30 pounds of excess water weight. Breathing became easier. She stood stronger and could go farther with her walker.
McGarvey attributes her mom’s improvement to the consistency of care provided by her hospice medical team―“the same nurse, the same aide, the same doctor.”
Still, she didn’t think her mom could handle the orchard trip. Just getting down the porch steps to a car seemed to be an impossible challenge.
When hospice nurse Amanda Fredricks, RN, learned about the family tradition, she contacted social worker Troy Clink, MSW, to see if he could help.
He called McGarvey one day as she raked leaves in the yard to tell her he had lined up a Life EMS van to transport Koch, wheelchair and all, to the orchard.
“He said, ‘If you’ve done it 30 years, why should we miss this year?’” McGarvey said. “I just wanted to cry.”
They kept the plan a secret. The day before the trip, Schiebout put curlers in her grandmother’s snowy white hair, knowing she would enjoy a fresh hairdo.
On Saturday afternoon, McGarvey told her mom she was going with them to the orchard.
“My first thought was how is this going to happen?” Koch said. “I hadn’t been out of the house since the beginning of August.”
She had resigned herself to missing the trip.
“It’s a different season of my life,” she said. “That’s what I thought about the whole thing. A different season. A new normal. You can get used to it or you can buck it. I’d rather get used to it.”
When her daughter explained they had lined up an ambulance to transport her, Koch realized it was time to get ready. She traded her sweatsuit for a pair of slacks and a powder-blue sweater.
“Then, I was happy,” she said.
A group of orchard-goers assembled, including Koch’s close friend, Carol Parks, her granddaughter Jessica, with her sons, Aiden and Jackson, and her grandson Burton, with his girlfriend Racheal Gaffney and their children, Burton and Sophia.
At the orchard, they enjoyed cider and doughnuts under gloriously sunny skies, admired fall flowers in bloom and shopped for just the right sauce for dipping pretzels. Koch said she wasn’t up for apple picking, but the day clearly was a success.
At home, once she changed back into comfy clothes, Koch told her daughter, “That was the best day in a long time.”
That quality-of-life moment is what hospice is all about, Fredricks said.
“A lot of the time people think hospice is, ‘I’m going to die soon.’ But there is so much more behind it,” she said. “We can make things happen, those last hurrahs that people want.”
For Koch’s family, the joy extended far beyond the pleasures of cider, doughnuts and sunshine, as sweet as they are.
“It meant the world for us to be able to continue that tradition with Grandma and not miss a year,” Jessica said. “It made all these new changes in her life seem to disappear. And for a moment in time, we were all just back to normal.”
Gloria, you’re such a special lady. So happy you were able to make this annual trip again. It’s a great family tradition. Much love, Craig and Pat
Thank you for your kind comment, Pastor Craig. We’re so glad Gloria was able to make this trip! She’s a special lady, who is clearly so very loved.
I’m so glad you got to carry on your tradition, Glo!! How special! Miss you! Love you… Gloria V
Praise God that Aunt Gloria had the strength to continue her 30 year tradition! You look amazing as always Aunt Gloria! Your team are wonderful! Love you much!
What a beautiful comment. Thank you, Leisa!
We’re so glad you got to make another annual trip to the orchard. What a loving God we have that provides for His children even when they can’t provide for themselves. And thank you Linda for helping to care for your sweet mother. God bless. We love you. N&B
Thanks for your kind comment, Nancy and Bill. I am sure this will make Gloria’s day.
I remember Gloria’s faithful service in Awana every Wednesday. =) Good to hear about her special day.
Gloria, so many years I would call for information on conferences, insurance questions or general business of the church. So good to see your pictures and see you make this continuing trip to the orchard with your family. It was a blessing to all, including the hospice people. God Bless! John and Donna
What a blessing to hear that story and to be reminded of the faithfulness of God to His children. I don!t know if you remember us, but I never forgot your kindness to us, especially when we were in Grand Rapids one time with no car and no place to stay and you opened your home and gave us a lovely room where we could stay. We felt so alone at that time but you were so gracious and kind. May God continue to give you peace and comfort during these days. Prov. 3:5,6
So glad Gloria was able to have this experience again! Before my husband passed away in May he was in Spectrum Hospice Care and I can not say enough nice things about Gus Pine, his nurse, and Troy Klink, his social worker! Gloria, you continue to be in my prayers!
It was so good to read this, Gloria, and to know that you were able to get out to enjoy this family tradition! We are thankful to the Lord for you and for your influence in our girls’ lives so many years ago in Awana…what a blessing you are to so many!
GLORIA, I’m so happy you were able to go to the orchard. I remember all the fun trips and times we spent together back when I lived in Michigan. Love you. Carlene
Heartwarming to read about your apple orchard excursion. Thankful for all who made this possible. May God bless you each day with the courage, Grace and strength as you may need. Ephesians 3:14-21.
Gloria how wonderful to enjoy this tradition with family. You are an amazing woman and I recall your smiles whenever I saw you. Blessings
So happy you got the the day out to the orchard, Gloria! Lots of memories, lots of fresh air and lots of fun with the family! Praying for you!
So good to hear about your wonderful outing with your family, God is so good and so faithful. I am so thankful you are doing fairly well. Sending thoughts and prayers, Sandy
Gloria, I am so happy for you and your family that all of you were able to keep your tradition again this year! Me and my sister had Hospice for both of our parents and found so much peace and gratitude for special moments that otherwise would not have happened. Keep smiling and enjoy all the hugs! Thank you for sharing your story. You made my day. Sincerely, Pam
Hi Gloria. So happy to know you are being taken care of so well. So glad for the Best Day with family. You were such a good friend with my mom! Miss seeing you at all the Grace events. Love you! Susie