Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

What a beautiful day ~ maybe , just maybe, summer is here!!!!! Wouldnt that be awesome!!

I was going to do a few posts on some of the people I have taken care of ~ they have made such an impression on me and I think they have made me the person I have become. I have a lady about a half hour from here ~ she is 95 years young! Her name is Elva. I rarely work with her anymore b/c my Mom is here, but I did go out and work with her 1 night last week. I have a group of girls that work with me, when one of them needs a night off for whatever reason I fill in. The jobs run like clockwork. Usually we do 24 hour a day care. We have been with Elva for almost 2 years. Elva is fiesty....we all love her. You would never know she is 95....I would guess her to be about 80. Elva wanted to go to Lowes one day and buy a swing for her front porch..~ my friend Janice was working at Elva's that day ~ Janice drives a big 4 wheel drive black truck, very high off the ground. Elva asked Janice to take her ~ Janice said " you cant get in my truck, its too high"...Elva said she could get in~ they just needed a stool. Janice said if I had seen Elva climbing up on that stool and getting in that truck I would have cracked up!I think they had to take the stool with them to Lowes so Elva could get in and out of the truck...lol..where there's a will there is a way ~ God bless you Elva!! When I work at Elvas and I walk in the room her face lights up, especially if she hasnt seen me for a while ~ I love to see that look on her face. She is a good person with a wonderful family. I love her spirit.

Almost 4 years ago I worked with a man named Cliff and his wife Frances. We were hired to take care of Cliff ~ We were there for about 3 months with Cliff when he passed away. Cliff did work with wood ~ he made beautiful pictures with wood that he pressed into a frame. he started to show me how to do them but he got to sick and couldnt finish. He built grandfather clocks too...what beautiful things he left for his family. He had such a talent. After Cliff died we stayed on with Frances around the clock, she was in her mid 80s and had diabetes real bad, but she could get around, she just needed someone there to make sure she ate properly and took care of herself ~ Frances was so precious ~ when I think of her I get a lump in my throat. We would sit outside , we would go for rides, we would sit and talk for hours or watch movies. She was game for anything I wanted to do. I was there for 2 years, I was so close with her family too. We would celebrate her birthday and holidays and cook up a big meal and everyone would bring a covered dish. I just really enjoyed being with her and her family. When she passed away a year ago this past Christmas I was so depressed....I said I would never get close to anyone again like I did Frances....but of course I get close to all of them.

Last Fall I started taking care of a woman who lives on the outskirts of my town...about 5 minutes away...I didnt really know her although I knew her children...Her name was Wilma. When I first started with her I walked her 3 days a week. I would help her get a bath and wash her hair to. She had had surgery for a hiatal ( sp) hernia. But she was doing good.....she was eating and getting some exercise....but her balance was off....then she fell and cut her head....they took her to the hospital and x rayed her head and we found out she had an inoperable brain tumor. We knew she was terminal. And we had to have round the clock girls and hospice came in.....so we got that all covered and Wilma, who had been a rather quiet person all her life and liked spending time in her home alone,...well Wilma just kinda blossomed with us girls....and we all just loved her. She ate , she laughed, she was just wonderful. I had taken her to her appointment with her cardiologist who was such a hunk!!!!! I told her I would always take her when she needed to go see him...lol. She teased me.....and we laughed about it. And then she started going downhill.....and I was getting depressed.....and then I thought to myself....instead of being sad...why cant I just be happy I got to know her and spend time with her and help her through a painful time.....I didnt want her to suffer....and I didnt want her kids to have to watch her suffer. So I kind of felt better about it when I thought of it that way ~ and one day when I was there and she was laying in her bed I leaned over to her and I said..." Wilma...you know what would make you feel better?" and she said " what?" and I said " maybe a trip to see that gorgeous cardiologist".....lol....she laughed and she said......that would make You feel better !!! lol. She was a sweety...... I am so glad to have known her. She passed away very peacefully and all of us girls are so much better off for having spent time with Wilma. We are there to help them ~ but they give us a wisdom that we would never get otherwise. They teach us to take time.....smell the roses.

2 comments:

Dr.John said...

How kind of you to share these special people with us. When i came out of my comma and was ready to go home I need a stool to get into and out of the van. Your story brought back memories as your stories always do.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing these peoples stories! It is nice to know that there are people who do your job and truly love it and the people they work with.