Christine Kuszai knows not everyone believes in psychics, so she was never one to go around offering predictions – but at least once she was able to deliver a message from beyond the grave.
It was at the coffee shop she owned in Savannah, Georgia. She was talking to a couple who had come in when she felt a hand on each of her shoulders. Christine told the couple, “Look, I don’t know what your belief system is… I’ve got two people here and they want me to convey a message.”
The couple burst into tears. They had just come from a funeral for two dear friends who had been killed in an accident.
She told them, “They want you to know that they are safe, that they are loved and adored, and that everything is OK. They enjoyed the service and the kind words, but they were fine, and not to worry and not to cry anymore because they were well taken care of. They felt terrific – all their wounds were healed.”
Despite Christine’s access to the spiritual world – her own abilities started when she was just a child – she was never one to seek out psychic readings for herself (although it was a psychic that approached her in a restaurant that first told Christine she was pregnant; her daughter, Noa, is now 22). But after coming to the Care Center, Christine’s sister Cara suggested they have a psychic come.
“I figured what better way to… do things that you enjoy, talk to people that speak your language?” Cara said.
Christine and Cara both felt it was a beautiful experience when the psychic came in.
“She found out that I’m on my path, and I’m doing well,” Christine said. “I’m doing and saying what I’m supposed to say.”
They felt a sense of love and comfort – just as they’ve been feeling from the team at Angela Hospice.
“Christine is the kind of person that when you meet her, she’ll change your life a little bit.”
~ Kristina Kosta, Care Center Nurse Practitioner
Part of following her path is being with her family and friends, and making the most of their precious time together, even as Christine faces stage four cancer. Learning there was no way to cure her body was a shock to her and her family, but after stopping harsh treatments, they’re glad to have their vibrant, funny Christine back.
“We were able to all sit here and just talk, and have our true feelings. I was able to thank them for being my brother and sister, and talk about our childhood and share stories with Noa, because that’s a whole lifetime of stuff she didn’t even know,” Cara said.
Their family is truly seizing the day, diving into the curious in-between, having deep and intriguing conversations, exploring the mysteries of their present and the future. They’re living out their mantras: Stay With People Who Make You Feel Like Sunshine, and Add To Your Happy Every Day.
Cara added to her happy by buying an RV in hopes they would all be able to travel together. At the least, she plans to park it outside Christine’s window at the Care Center so they can dream about new adventures.
They’ve been learning together, too, through their hospice journey. In a chat with one of the Care Center social workers, Christine and her family learned about anticipatory grief and were grateful to know there’s a name for what they’ve all been feeling. And instead of running away from these topics so many find uncomfortable, they’ve embraced them.
“I feel stronger, and passionate, and I feel passionate about this topic about end of life,” Christine said.
Cara has been documenting their journey on social media, what they’ve experienced, what they’ve learned, and what they wished they would have been told sooner.
“She’s very passionate about medical transparency,” Christine said of her sister. “And Noa is very passionate about quality of life.”
It only made sense for them to have a party, to invite their friends and loved ones in on their experience, to give them the permission to talk about what is really important. So they planned Christine’s “Peace Out” party.
They had about 50 people visit in her room at the Care Center. There were photos everywhere, rainbow colored decorations hanging from the ceiling, and hot pink balloons spelling “PEACE OUT.” A full spread of food included cake and Christine’s favorite candies. Together they talked, joked, sang, and reminisced. It was an amazing day that left Christine with a message she feels compelled to share.
“We had a ‘Peace Out’ party because I’m on this side. I’m over here. I’m alive. I’m talking to you,” she said. “I want to get it out that… don’t lose your person. Don’t put them in the ground without having a party first, because they should go to the party. I would love to die knowing that everybody loved me. I could have gone to sleep that night after the party and been like, ‘What a fantastic life. I didn’t know they all love me like that. Wow.’ I still feel that way, and I wish that for others.”
Angela Hospice’s donor-supported Care Center is a welcoming place that allows for beautiful moments. Families like Christine’s can enjoy their time together, secure in the knowledge that their loved one is fully supported in their medical needs, while they each receive the healing benefits of Angela’s caring embrace.
This transformational care is only possible thanks to the generosity of caring people like you. To show your support and help more families like Christine’s today, visit here.
