95 years old and still a gem!

Some of you may remember that I am blessed to be a Hospice volunteer in my spare time.  I say “blessed” because ever since I started being a hospice volunteer, it has been a blessing to me in many ways. 

Yesterday was no exception.  I went to meet Mary Helen yesterday so her caretaker could attend the local support group.  When I first walked in and met Mary Helen, I was surprised!  She was the picture of health.  Bright and chipper, she was very alert!  And an avid reader too.  I asked Mary Helen what she’d like to do.  She asked me to read to her from a book that she had already started. 

While I can’t remember the name of the book, I noted the topic was very interesting.  About a family dealing with a troubled teenager who ran away from home and wasn’t heard from for over 7 years.  I proceeded to read aloud to Mary Helen for the next three hours; taking a short break when my throat was dry or I needed to take a break.  During the entire time I read to Mary Helen she was bright and alert.  Making facial nods or looks of surprise when the topic took a surprise turn. 

During one of the breaks Mary Helen and I shared some stories from our own childhood.  We talked about our family pets and in particular which breeds our families favored and how we interacted with them.  I spoke about my family’s Scotti “Brigit” and how she had 8 unexpected puppies.  During this time Brigit also had Milk fever and was unable to feed her puppies.  So we found ourselves bottle feeding the puppies every two to three hours.   This was in the summer before fourth grade and we couldn’t have had a more delightful time as kids that summer.  Brigit my family’s Scotti lived a long life and when she died, we were late for school that morning, Dad was late for work.  We all surrounded her as she took her last breaths, and prayed for God to take her soul.  My younger sister C took off her scapula (Catholic medal insuring entrance to heaven) and placed it around Brigit’s neck.  We all cried together as Brigit passed.  She was as much a member of our family as any human person.  She was buried behind the junipers in front of our house.  We placed a special stone on her grave and we checked on her often.  After snow storms we always cleared her grave first before clearing the sidewalks. 

After Brigit died, a few months later, Mom brought home another Scotti to hopefully fill the hole in our hearts.  We all protested that we would love this new dog, because we felt it betrayed the memory of Brigit.  Sooner or later, we couldn’t ignore the cuteness of a new puppy and we soon took the new puppy into our hearts.  This new puppies name was Brigit II.  After her namesake.  She was a great dog and Nana to us all as well.  I digress.

Mary Helen shared about her puppies when she was a young girl.  They had a beautiful Collie that was a favorite of her brother.  She had twin brothers and lost one of them as a youth.  The Collie, came along to help the children with their grief. 

While we were sharing, I just had to ask Mary Helen some questions about things she experienced in her life, that most of us didn’t experience in our life times.  I asked Mary Helen, if it would be okay for me to ask her some questions.  Mary Helen smiled and agreed, please to know someone was interested in her life.  I asked Mary Helen what she remembered about the Stock Market Crash in 1929.  She would have been only 16 years old.  Which is a young age, especially a hundred years ago. 

Mary Helen continued.  People weren’t that concerned about the Stock Market Crash at that time.  They knew that even if the monetary system failed they would always be okay.  They had many other ways that would help them survive.   We discussed that for awhile.  I remember my mom telling me how her family had  a much different experience because they had money and had invested most of it in the stock market.  The Stock Market crash caused one person to take consider extreme methods of dealing with the crisis.  Either turning to the (alcohol) bottle or taking ones life. 

This may sound simplistic but it seems the best advise would be to not invest in anything risky regardless of how much it might make your money grow.  Of course the best advise is to not make money your god.   Because money will let you down like that.  But if you’re focused on different things like gardening, your family… you’ll never be disappointed.  Not to even mention if you keep you eyes on the God of Life – you will always find a way through difficult times. 

After a while, our time together was done, and as I said goodbye, Mary Helen, raised her hand and said Goodbye, I hope you can come back again.  I said, I hope so too.  And we both smiled.

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’

Another visit to Rehab.  Well actually it’s the Health and Rehab Center.  Really for all practical purposes, it was a nursing home for Seniors.   It was Caitlyn’s final test day to become a therapy dog.  Yes, our little Caitlyn, My Dad’s Dog, a Shitzu, is going to be a Hospice Therapy Dog.  We’re so proud of Caitlyn.  Well, at least we have all the paperwork completed.  Now we just need to wait for the final approval from the Therapy Dogs group in Colorado. 

Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
Caitlyn has quite a way with the seniors.  She is so small and cute, it’s hard not to be drawn to her, to feel her fluffy fur and her wet little nose.  Caitlyn prances around the nursing home and when she is stopped by a senior in a wheel chair,  …She’s a little nervous at first.  Then she relaxes and let them pet her all over. 

I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
Caitlyn is most comfortable when she visits someone in their room.  She makes herself right at home, at their feet or the foot of their bed. 

He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
Allowing dogs to visit in nursing homes.  It’s a therapy that you now find is more welcomed than it has been in the past.  They use it to draw the Seniors out of their shells.  Feeling a nice wet nose will do that to you when you’re somewhere you’d rather not be.  Like the hospital or a nursing home.  Dogs have this wonderful ability to give unconditional love.  And this is the reason, they are welcome to visit.

 

Many Thanks to Amy Winehouse for the use of her lyrics.

Take me out

To the ball game
(Left:  Caitlyn is wondering where Grandpa has gone.)  Today is day three at the hospital.  I could not visit Dad all day because I have the stomach flu. 

Take me out
Dad was not the ideal or perfect patient today.  Arguing with the nurses, trying to find his shoes so he could leave the hospital.(!!)  Finally, in the evening, I made an attempt to visit Dad and hopefully calm him down.  My attempt was thwarted, the nurse had given my Dad a sedative, and he was just going to sleep.  I gave a big sigh and found my way home again.

With the crowd
I came home to find Caitlyn, Dad’s dog feeling a little lost.  Where was her person?  She would wander around the house looking for somewhere to hang out.  She would end up in the middle of the living room floor, looking completely like a little orphan.  I adopted Caitlyn tonight, much to Cleo’s dismay.  They are both sleeping on my bed at opposite ends. 

Buy me some peanuts
Perhaps tomorrow, if the hospital allows it, I will be able to take Caitlyn with me to visit Dad.  Dad would really be cheered up with a visit from his dog.   Caitlyn is in training to be a Hound of Hospice currently. 

And Crackerjack
I don’t care if
I never never get back
Many Thanks for the use of the lyrics “Take me out to the Ball Game”. 

Tell me something good (tell me, tell me, tell me)

You ain’t got no kind of feeling inside
Wow!  What a crazy day!!  I did the hospice volunteering visit today.  It was such an eye opener.  The patient was in the final stages of Alzheimer’s Disorder (AD).  She could still swallow, but she has lost most of her functionality.  The entire time I was visiting with her, she seldom made eye contact.  She was completely unable to speak or walk.  And she grinds her teeth, so they give her a teething toy (like the kind you would give a baby).  Every now and then the teething toy would come out of her mouth and she’d start to chew on her fingers.   So you’d have to pull her hand out of her mouth and reinsert the teething toy.  And then I’d mold her hands so she could  hold the teething toy with her fingers.  I prayed for the lady while I was with her.  Prayed that the Lord would restore her dignity in a way that was in her highest good.  I spoke with her, but she never acknowledge hearing me.  I smiled at her and she’d look me in the eyes.  I also gave her water to drink about every 20 to 30 minutes. 

I got something that will sure ’nuff set your stuff on fire
While speaking to the family, their story was amazing.  This AD patient lost her ability to walk and speak and most other functionality in the same day.  The doctors informed the family that this was probably due to the fact that she had received both radiation and chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.  Quite shocking to me, as that wasn’t a normal side effect for chemo or radiation in my knowledge.  I had been through chemotherapy a number of years ago for Lupus SLE.  Lucky for me, I was allergic (ran a fever of 105 degrees) to the chemo and they had to stop the treatment (yeah!). 
You refuse to put anything before your pride
The most amazing thing to me, as a hospice volunteer is the families around the sick patients.  They are so amazing.  Every family I’ve met so far has been truly heroic in trying to help their love one feel a part of the family.  They go out of their way to let their love one feel loved and needed.  I think it does a tremendous amount of good for the patient.  With this AD patient, she was sitting in a large easy chair right in the middle of the living room with the rest of the living area surrounding her, so the family could join her when they watched TV, or simply visited with each other. 
I got something that will knock all your pride aside
The most amazing part of how the family pulls together when a loved one is sick, is that in a way… it’s healing for the family.   The sick family member gives the family a reason to stop and remember who they are… and what’s really important in life.  It’s good to know that you are doing something right by your family. 

Tell me that you love me
I have a feeling that there are all kinds of small families units all over the world that have come together to care for a dear loved one who is ill and perhaps about to pass over.  They are your neighbors, friends, and relatives.  It’s a quiet revolution that is changing the world in an important way. 

Tell me something good (tell me, tell me, tell me)
Tell me that you love me
Tell me something good (tell me, tell me, tell me)
Tell me that you like it, yeah

Thanks to Chaka Khan for the use of their lyrics.  The lyrics help me tell a story.