A large, handcrafted wooden sign hangs in the Palliative Care Unit (PCU) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a lasting reminder of the appreciation of the family of Linda Schumacher for the care she received there as she confronted a rapid onset of serious health complications.
Nurses, physicians, a chaplain, social worker and other providers specializing in palliative care encircled Linda and her family and friends with comfort, love and respect — compassionate words that are truly an actionable mantra for the staff of the 16-bed unit housed in the Medical Center’s Round Wing.
Those words are engraved on the sign, along with a broadly branched tree of life and hope that shelters a pair of llamas. On the back, Linda’s name and the span of her lifetime are noted, accompanied by the enigmatic phrase, “Llama Love and M&M’s Forever.”
The sign was created by Jeff Schumacher, Linda’s husband of more than 37 years, and gifted to the PCU staff.
“The Palliative Care team is a special group of people, and I wouldn’t have wanted to share probably the most devastating week of my life with any other group,” said Jeff. “I’ve been a woodworker for more than 40 years, and I decided I wanted to do something to let them know just how wonderful they are.”
The Schumachers lived in Crossville, Tennessee, at the time Linda was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. They traveled two hours to VUMC so she could be seen by Marcus C. Tan, MD, associate professor of Surgery. Her medical team, including oncologist Dana Cardin, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine, then arranged for her to begin receiving chemotherapy closer to home in Knoxville.
During her treatments, Linda’s body began to falter. The couple returned to VUMC, where she was hospitalized. As her health complications multiplied, the family planned for her to return home for hospice care. But Linda was too fragile, and instead a bed in VUMC’s Palliative Care Unit was offered.
Improving quality of life
Palliative care is multidisciplinary care focused on improving quality of life through pain and symptom management as well as psychosocial interventions for individuals who are seriously ill or injured.
Medical providers specializing in palliative care can often ease symptoms, allowing an individual to return home and continue with medical treatments, work and important life experiences. The Palliative Care Unit can also serve as a quiet space for families to be with loved ones at their end of life.
“When I was told about the Palliative Care Unit I asked, ‘What is palliative care?’ I had no idea,” Jeff said. “She deteriorated pretty fast, so she was moved to that floor. Then, when there were so many friends and family who came, I think Linda just wanted to stay with us.”
For the next week, Jeff spent days and nights at her side. Their daughter Amanda, her fiancé Mike, and Linda’s dearest friends filled her room. As many as 14 of her favorite people claimed bedside space, told stories, laughed together and celebrated her life. Her pain and other symptoms were well managed so she could enjoy being with those who loved her.
During those hours, PCU staff members learned that when Jeff and Linda met during college, they stared at each other nonstop for more than two hours. Jeff played hard to get and kept setting up his new “friend” on dates with his buddies. Finally, Linda wrote him a pointed message telling him to give her a call. They were together from that point forward.
The PCU care providers learned about Jeff’s lifelong love of llamas and his habit of flashing the “ears up” American Sign Language sign for a llama and proclaiming, “Llama love!” They learned about Linda and Jeff’s skills at handcrafting treasures to sell online and donate to charities. They learned about Amanda and Linda’s shared passion for horseback riding. And they learned of Jeff’s weakness for peanut M&M’s.
Let’s talk M&M’s
Which leads to the story behind the plaque’s inscription mentioning the brightly colored candies.
Jeff’s sister brought large bags of his favorite treat to share in Linda’s room. When Jeff grabbed a handful, he immediately thought something was off. A good-natured debate ensued about the candy, and they borrowed specimen cups to comparison taste test a “good bag” against the offending candies.
“My future son-in-law saw a phone number for the Mars candy company on the bag, so we called,” Jeff recounted. “It was 8 o’clock on a Saturday night. We said the M&M’s didn’t taste right and were told they’d send a coupon. I didn’t think they were taking it seriously enough, so I said, ‘There are fourteen of us here, and we’re in the hospital.’”
The candy representative immediately switched her script and began asking for their full names and more details about their symptoms. Jeff’s sister began laughing hysterically.
“Do you realize what you just said?” she asked. “You just said, ‘We ate your M&M’s, and now there’s fourteen of us in the hospital.’”
Jeff cleared up the confusion and agreed a coupon would be just fine. Soon the entire floor was chuckling about the candy fiasco. The levity helped not only the friends and family who were navigating grief, but Jeff sensed the moments of laughter also seemed to uplift the PCU nurses and other staff.
“When we gave the plaque to the staff, my sister made these little felt hearts to give to everyone, and we stuffed snack-size bags of M&M’s inside,” he laughed.
“I was blown away with how beautiful the plaque turned out — such a beautiful tribute to the love the Schumachers shared,” said PCU nurse Monica Catlett, RN. “It is a lovely addition to our Family Room, joining our guitar, also a gift from a family. Thank you so much to Mr. Schumacher; your kind gift will hang for generations to admire!”
Stacey Tillman, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Medicine, guided Linda’s care on the PCU, and the family received care and assistance from much of the PCU’s interdisciplinary team.
“She had friends fly in from across the country, and they were all together in a room,” Tillman said. “While they were grieving and sad, they were also sharing stories every day. Her room became this beautiful space that could hold both extreme sadness and grief, along with these lovely stories and laughter. And in this sense of joy around the life that they had with her, it was just as it should be.”
Today, Jeff and Linda’s family and friends are navigating their days without Linda’s bright presence, and they say they’ll never forget the last week they spent with her, sharing llama love and M&M’s.
