i work in a nursing home. many of the people i take care of will die there. it is a sad but true fact. even though i don't work there full time anymore i am there enough to know all the residents and some of them really get to you. i've worked there for almost 2 years now and so i've seen many come and go. although there are a select few that you dislike as people and it is a very hard job without enough pay, there are many rewards.
it really is an honor to care for these people who are totally dependent on you and who have no one else who could do it. many of them are well into their 90s and we have a few in their 100s. it is incredible how these people live that long (i personally do not want to). there are former dancers, actresses, singers, teachers, writers, pilots, bankers, homemakers, and business people. the majority of them are women. many haven't ever married. some were married, had kids but they live far away. such is the case for a very special lady.
she died about 2 weeks ago. i was there. when you are old and dying it can be a fast thing or slow. you never know. with this lady though she had almost her whole family around her. she was lying peacefully and was ready to go. she basically waited for the last son to arrive before she kicked the bucket. i was lucky enough to help with her post-mortem care. i volunteered for it because here was this sweet little lady (probably 4 foot 6 or something) who never had an ill word for anyone. i really loved talking to her and caring for her. of all the people on our floor she enjoyed watching football and golf! she was constantly on the move with her walker, calling you "honey" and you just knew she was a great woman before her illnesses because of the way she treated people. she radiated happiness and love. i felt it was an honor to help her rest in peace. she always had nice perfectly done hair so we made sure to do that too.
i went to her funeral and you knew what a wonderful woman she was. there were so many people and everyone with just wonderful stories. i really feel lucky to have met and helped her. as a CNA i don't often get "thank yous" from family members or residents themselves but her daughter came up to a few of us after the funeral and really thanked us, with tears in her eyes. she said the only way she could go home at night was knowing that there were good caregivers for her mom. it really felt good to know. i loved that little lady and i'll miss her terribly.
1 comment:
tru dat... i miss working with the old folks, it's sad but uplifting at the same time to see how people come out at the end of their lives, well, not the "end" of their lives, but how some people have lived for what seems like an eternity (like those 100-year-olds) and yet you can tell exactly what they were like when they were our age probably. well, for some of them at least... in the good way or the bad. either way, it's inspiring to see how much life a single person can live. it doesn't often seem that way to us young'ns, but there's lots more life to live out there...
by the way, bravo for being a blogging machine!! i've been so crippled with my internet-less house so i'd better get cracking again huh?
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