Rory Feek Details Joey’s ‘Hospice Rollercoaster’

Earlier this month, Joey + Rory’s Joey Feek spent a week in the hospital and returned home to hospice care at her family’s farm in Indiana. Since then, the singer has been at home spending quality time with her husband, Rory, her daughters, and her extended family and friends.

Her battle with Stage IV Cervical Cancer has now left her bedridden. Hospice comes to their home a couple times a week to ensure that her pain is under control and to check on her and her caregivers.

“For the most part, Joey’s time on hospice so far has been a roller coaster,” Rory explained in his latest blog post to This Life I Live. “One moment her light is very dim and she sleeps all the time and is struggling with the simplest of things.  And we (along with the doctors and hospice) believe that the time must be very near…And then, she’ll awaken one day and start talking and we’ll see that familiar spark in her eye.  And she will be so crystal-clear with her thoughts, we will gather in the next room and say, ‘maybe, just maybe…?.'”

He continued, “And then she will take another downturn.  Then an upturn.  Back and forth.  Sometimes many times in just one day.  But today and the last few days have been incredible.  Part of us once again believes that God is answering Joey’s prayer by healing her body and taking the cancer away, despite all the odds.”

Despite the ups and downs, Joey chooses to believe she can beat it.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that she doesn’t look me and her family in the eye and say ‘I’m gonna beat this,’ or ‘I’m getting better, I believe that.’  And she asks me if I believe it, and I do. I choose to.”

The Feek’s faith has grown with each passing day and their strength through these dark times has inspired others, but Joey wasn’t aware of how much her story has impacted the outside world…until now.

“She wanted to know what was being said outside of this house,” Feek wrote. “I told her what was happening. …That somehow, people — a lot of people — have been following her story. Our story. And how she was inspiring others with her courage. And how what I’ve been writing has been encouraging others in ways, too.”

He explained that after a few tears, they chose to continue to share their story because “sharing what we’re going through with others is really all we have to give.”

Although Joey can no longer get out of bed, Rory recalled the day she took her last steps when they shared an incredible moment together.

“I took her in my arms in the living room and once more put her hand in mine and we danced,” he explained. “She steadied with her cane and I softly moved her across the room singing George Strait’s ‘You Look So Good In Love’ in her ear.  In the middle of the song though, as I was being careful not to step on her toes – she stopped and looked up at me and said, ‘How about if I lead?’   And I followed her lead as we slowly two-stepped on her mama’s living room floor. “

He closed his blog post by promising to continue his updates.

“Like dancing, she wants to do this right, or not do it at all… to share the good, the bad, and the beautiful. And so we will.”