DALLAS, NC—When you meet Harvey, a Gaston County local and current patient at Carolina Caring, you will be greeted by a happy, grateful, and kind spirit.
But Harvey’s life has not been easy. He lives with a complex cardiac diagnosis, and for a long time, he was juggling medications, distressing symptoms, and daily uncertainty with limited professional support. His biggest worry was not just how to feel better, but how to reduce the amount of time he spent at doctor’s offices or the hospital.
It was his daughter, a nurse, who suggested he try palliative medicine. She introduced him to Megan Bolick, a nurse practitioner at Carolina Caring. Bolick recognized that Harvey’s clinical needs could benefit from the organization’s Advanced Cardiac Care Program. She quickly connected him with Carolina Caring’s palliative medicine team to give him that specialized support.
After meeting Bolick and working with this new care team, Harvey felt that the program was a perfect match. “Megan did what she had to do to take care of me,” Harvey says, “and it was obvious that she wanted great outcomes for me. I know my body better than anyone else, and when I tell you how I’m feeling, or what I’m experiencing, your team listens to me.”
When symptoms do not resolve on their own, patients may feel fear about what to do next. Advanced Cardiac Care helps to ease those fears by identifying the right treatment plans to care for patients’ hearts. For Harvey, support came in practical, empowering ways. He received tools to help him track symptoms on his own time. His team coordinated care with his primary care physician to give him the right medicines and supplies. Most importantly, Harvey built a relationship with the Cardiac Care team that has carried his family through this journey with grace and compassion.
Managing heart disease often comes with strict rules and limitations, but the hospice approach focuses on balance. When Harvey decided he wanted comfort care more than ongoing treatments, Carolina Caring paved the way for an easy transition from palliative medicine to hospice. He receives support from the same cardiac team that served him from the start, only more often. They work together to increase symptom control while allowing space for Harvey to enjoy what matters most to him.
“We’re not his parents,” says family member and caretaker, Robin. “Harvey is going to do what he wants to do with his life. But he is not having his favorite foods taken away, and he never feels micromanaged. You all are partners in his care. That’s the best thing about hospice.”
Robin also appreciates that the team does more than track symptoms on a chart. They watch how he looks, how he interacts, and note if any changes in his abilities occur. And they are willing to show up at their front door for any reason, knowing Harvey’s ultimate goal is to stay out of the hospital.
“They don’t have to do that, but they care,” says Robin. “That’s what’s so relieving. I can call the team any time, day or night, and I don’t have to worry about whether I need to take Harvey to the hospital, because they will guide us in the right direction.”
Whole-person support has led to improved outcomes and better quality of life. Today, more than two years after starting this program, Harvey still wakes up in his own bed, he eats the foods he enjoys, he spends more time with his family, and, when symptoms arise, he knows that one of his team members will answer his call.
“No matter what problem I’ve run into, they have figured out a way to make it better immediately,” Harvey says. “This team is like one big family to me. I wouldn’t change a thing about them.”
Pictured: Carolina Caring team visits with Advanced Cardiac Care patient, Harvey, and family.
