Meet Lindsey Greene, a nurse practitioner at Hospice of North Idaho.

She calls Coeur d’Alene home, though she has lived throughout the United States. Lindsey met her husband, Justin, an engineer and paramedic with Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, more than 20 years ago while living in South Florida. Together, they enjoy the beauty of North Idaho and traveling with their two children, Jimmy, 13, and June, 10, often accompanied by Grammie Kathy. Lindsey’s life revolves around family, friendship, adventure and a deep commitment to making her community a better place.

Recently, Hospice of North Idaho honored Lindsey with this year’s Hummingbird Award for exemplary service to patients, community members and the hospice team, going above and beyond expectations and achieving an inspirational standard of excellence.

1) How long have you been in health care, and why did you choose to work at Hospice of North Idaho?

I have worked in health care for 18 years, first as a registered nurse and later as a nurse practitioner. You will often hear hospice workers say, “I didn’t choose hospice, hospice chose me,” and that is certainly true in my case. My father passed away eight years ago, and my family was fortunate to have the world’s best hospice nurse, Lori Schneider, by our side during that incredibly difficult time. She was compassionate, incredibly intelligent and had a wonderful sense of humor. Lori gently guided me through the process of losing my dad and, shortly thereafter, recruited me to work at Hospice of North Idaho. She, along with many other amazing colleagues, showed me how to walk alongside others with the same care and compassion she gave my family.

2) What do you love about your chosen career?

First and foremost, I love my coworkers. I have deep respect for every person I work with. There is a quiet, often unspoken understanding that we are carrying the weight of many people’s grief and sometimes our own. Because of that, we check in on one another, hug it out when words aren’t enough and make time to laugh together. Hospice is a calling. It isn’t for everyone, but it is the most fulfilling and meaningful work I have ever done. I truly believe every one of my coworkers would say the same. I am comfortable talking about death and dying, but I have not always been this way. Western culture often avoids the reality of mortality. Beyond providing comfort and compassion, much of our work in hospice focuses on education and normalizing death. Death feels frightening to many people, but not to hospice workers. There is something profoundly beautiful about holding someone’s hand and saying, “You’ve got this. Let me explain what’s happening. We are here for you, and we will honor your wishes every step of the way.”

3) How do you get through the toughest days - what are some of your methods for overcoming grief and remaining positive/emotionally recovering when experiencing a loss?

I don’t believe the goal should be to “overcome” grief. Instead, I encourage people to feel it fully, develop healthy coping mechanisms and lean on friends, family and professionals until they feel strong enough to carry it themselves. Grief looks different for everyone, and there is no timeline. The challenge is learning how to participate in a full, joyful life after loss. Happiness and grief can coexist, but it is a bittersweet dance that takes time, sometimes a lifetime, to learn.

Personally, I owe a great deal to my husband, who is not only an exceptional listener but also the most patient person I know. I am also grateful for a close group of women who have been my best friends, and unpaid therapists, for nearly 30 years. And when all else fails, I turn to the words of Danish author Isak Dinesen: “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” For me, that often means Priest Lake, with a salt-rimmed margarita.

4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I love getting to know people and having deep, meaningful conversations, but many are surprised to learn that I am actually quite introverted. I like to say I’m an extroverted introvert. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that I need quiet, alone time to recharge. I usually spend that time listening to music, reading, trying to keep my plants alive or enthusiastically starting projects that often go unfinished.

5) Why does it matter to you to create an environment of peace and comfort as families say goodbye to their loved ones?

My parents raised me to live by the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I will never forget the way Lori helped my dad come to terms with his prognosis or how she taught our family to simply be present, even when we didn’t know the words to say. That experience changed my life.

I wanted to be part of that journey for other families, to give patients a good death, to normalize the dying process and to teach families how to provide care and comfort. This work is deeply personal to me. It is my life’s work, and I am both humbled and proud to serve at Hospice of North Idaho.