I'm not sure I've guessed the right plant. Tecoma stans is sometimes called Yellow Alder; could that be what you're looking for? Yucca Do Nursery has a nice selected variety of Tecoma stans with a picture which might help you decide if it's what you want. When my dad was dying of cancer I got him an amaryllis and he really enjoyed watching that bud come up out of the bulb and stretch to become a flower. It might be late to find one, but flowers are very therapeutic I think. My deepest sympathy for you and your wife.