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Graduation Party By Lionel Green - The Reporter Published May 06, 2010 Carla Dowdey posed for a photograph, standing in front of four colorful balloons. “It looks like you’ve got balloons growing out of your head,” said Karen Denton, volunteer coordinator for Hospice of Marshall County. “Better than daisies,” Dowdey replied.

Hospice of Marshall County hosted an April 26 graduation party for Dowdey, 47, of Albertville. Dowdey suffered from dysfunction of the liver and was given two weeks to live. That was more than a year ago.

“It has given me a new beginning,” Dowdey said. “It’s like I’ve been reborn. I’ve got this other opportunity of life, and I want each and every day to be very special.”

Graduation parties are not frequent, but they are not rare. Hospice of Marshall County had hosted one just the week before for another patient.

“It’s about hope,” said Susan Sanders, Hospice of Marshall County public relations manager. “A graduation party is for people who no longer qualify for hospice care. They may have signed up for hospice care, and during the course of us taking care of them, they no longer qualify.

“The criteria for hospice care is strict. Each reimbursement source has different criteria. They say with this diagnosis, someone has to meet this criteria.”

Hospice of Marshall County is a nonprofit agency based in Albertville that provides end-of-life care for terminally ill patients. But sometimes, the patients defy the odds.

“What happens is folks sign up with the hospice program,” Sanders said. “We’re in there to monitor their medications. We’re in there to take care of them lots of times when they’ve not had anybody in their home to oversee their care.

“Once we come in and start monitoring their care, sometimes they do get better. If they no longer meet the criteria, we have to consider graduation.

“We don’t just say you’re no longer in the program, though. We’re going to look at the resources that they need in the community such as home health. If they do need any resources to help them along, then we’re going to set that up before we have a graduation party.”

Dowdey’s mother, Faye Strong, and her daughter, April Slaton-White, attended the party.

“I want to give God the praise, first of all,” Strong said. “I thought she was going to get better all the time. She lived with me about a year. I was right there with her day and night, and took care of her and loved her. It seemed easy for me because I was wanting her to get better.”

Dowdey’s daughter, Slaton-White, praised God and Hospice of Marshall County.

“I think it’s a miracle from God,” she said. “Hospice is the most wonderful organization I’ve ever seen.”

Strong agreed, thanking the Hospice of Marshall County employees.

“The ones that came to see Carla never left unless they prayed,” she said. “They were just angels.”

Dowdey said she is feeling well and even planted her garden the week before.

“Thanks to Hospice and the Good Lord, I made it,” she said. She thanked her mother and her aunt, Dot Wright, for providing care and support throughout the ordeal.

Dowdey dedicated the graduation party to her sister, Kimberly Faye Ward, who died in November 2008 from the same illness.

“This party is for me and her,” she said. “She didn’t make it, but she gave me the strength to pull through.”