Daily Archives: March 7, 2013

It’s My Time

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lost

She was lying on her bed surrounded by green drab walls and dimly lit lights. Staring out the small window surrounded by dingy white curtains. Willing herself to die. Only days prior she had given up on her life.

Filled with  tears spilling  over her heart she cried. How had things went from joy to sorrow. She turned her head when she heard the knock at the door. The nurse came in and suddenly tears flowed from the bedridden patient‘s eyes.

The nurse sat her chart down and stepped close to the bed and took Allie’s hands in hers. “It’s going to be alright honey. I know you are hurting right now. But you are not alone deary. I am  here and God is standing to the side of you”.

Tears poured from Allie’s eyes. “I feel all alone. No one cares about an old lady anymore. I just want to die. I have nothing to live for.”

“Oh please don’t talk like that dear one. Please don’t say those things. You’re going to make me start crying and how will that make me look when I go into the next patients room?”

The nurse checked the IV‘s hanging to see if the drip was still going at the correct proportion. She took Allie’s vitals and checked the entrance of her IV needle to make sure it wasn’t turning red or swelling.

“Are you comfortable little one? Do you want another blanket?” Allie shook her head no and then turned towards the lonely window again. As the nurse began to leave she said,” How about if I come back and sit with you after I get off of work this afternoon? Would you like that?” There was no response.

The room silenced again except for the occasional carts going down the hall. The television was on but she paid no attention. Every once in a while she would see a bird fly by.

She must have drifted off to sleep because when she came around she heard voices. She didn’t open her eyes but listened. Don’t we all wish we could change the way things end up in the end? It’s so sad when they are brought in here. By the time they arrive in this room it is just a matter of time.

I know what you mean. But the truth is that people just don’t know how to act or what to say at this stage. Their tongues get tongue-tied. They aren’t used to seeing their loved ones like this.

I know, I know, but it just isn’t right. These people shouldn’t be laying here dying all alone. It’s just a damn shame. I just want to shake the shit out of the families. This is one time that they need to step up to the plate and be here.

Allie laid there crying inside and out. She was so scared. Scared of dying alone. She didn’t want to leave her children and grandchildren behind and yet she couldn’t take the pain of barely seeing them.

The bell began chirping on her monitor. Nurses came running in. A call from the station was made over the intercom. Stat  code blue room 200. Stat code blue doctor needed in room 200.

In only seconds Allie’s room was filled with quick-moving staff. Blood pressure was taken and noted. The doctor said in a take charge voice,”Get the cart and hurry”. For several minutes they worked competently trying to save this life.

God wasn’t ready to let her come home yet and she was saved. After the staff was assured she was stable they left with instructions that she be monitored every half hour.

Allie must have been dreaming. She dreamed that she was going to see Jesus. But when she opened her eyes the drab green welcomed her back once again. Please Lord, please hear my cry. I am ready to come home. Please don’t make me stay here.

The clock on the wall slowed down and minutes snailed by. A minister walked into the room and for a moment stood at the end of her bed. He wasn’t sure if she realized he was here. Allie’s head turned in his direction. She recognized him from her church. Maybe he was coming to tell her it was time.

“Hi Allie. I wanted to stop in and see how you are. I wondered if you would like me to pray with you.” She nodded and he walked to her side and took her hand and the two of them prayed together.

It seemed like doves came into the room as peace fell over her. The drab green room turned instantly to a pale blue. She thought she saw the curtains blowing gently in the breeze. She looked towards the ceiling and thought it seemed brighter.

The doves cooing gently rested around her body as if waiting their cue to lift her to the heavens. The minister laid her hand back on her blanket. He smiled at her and she returned it with words, ” I am ready.”

“We all love you Allie. You worked hard for the Lord. I believe you will be rewarded in heaven for all of your good deeds.”

Saying he would come back the next day he left her room. As she drifted in and out of this life she saw vivid colors of the rainbow. Stars shone brightly over her, forming a path for her walk home. Arms of loved ones were held out waiting for her.

Allie smiled and her last words spoken were,” I love you kids.”

She was gone. The nurse came in after her work shift and noticed what had happened. She walked over and turned the monitor off. She closed Allie’s lids and straightened the sheet and blanket neatly, pulling the covers up over her patient’s face.

She walked out of the door and leaning against the wall she wept. Good bye my dear friend. Thank-you for giving me a few moments to see what a beautiful person you were.

She dried her eyes with her arm and walked to the nurse’s station. Room 200, she just passed a way.

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A Day With Snow And Al

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I went to see Al today since the roads are cleared of snow. Where I live the paths are total slush. It makes driving a bit difficult when you are in nothing but mush.

I took a photo of a cute snowman that some kids built in the neighborhood. I also took some more snow pics, just for my memories when it is summer; all hot and humid.

Al was in his wheelchair trying real hard to make it go. The facility is letting him use a different one that is much lighter in weight and a tad bigger, but Al was not able to make his legs do what he wanted.

I know the rules. Let Al do his own pushing. Back off woman! But for today, when I saw the tears because he was stuck in his room and thought he may not get any lunch, I cheated. I had baked him some cookies but he seemed to have no interest in these. It may because he was so concentrated on making the wheels go round and round.

I placed the cookie bag on his bed, took my coat off and whizzed him out of his room. Reaching the dining room and getting him positioned correctly, I waited with him until his food tray arrived.

Al now is using a divided plate with three sections. Also straws have been added in with strict supervision because of not being able to release the straw from his lips. He struggles very much with lifting those cups to his mouth.

His plate arrived and I didn’t say anything when I saw one divider had about three-fourths cup of lasagna. The server poured his routine water, apple juice and hot chocolate. Al looked up at the lady and asked, “Have I been bad?”

The lady laughs and says,”No why?”

“Because I don’t have any food”. Alright Al said it first, so I gave my two cents. ” Don’t you think they skimmed a little on  his meal? I could eat that in three bites. Couldn’t he have a vegetable of some kind to go along with this?”

She replies,”He gets tapioca pudding too”. I pushed a little more making my case and found out spinach and lasagna didn’t sound good to Al, so I looked around at other people eating and saw they had garlic bread. In the end Al got a slice of garlic bread added. His plate looked at least more balanced now.

His tremors were in double speed today and he could neither cut his food and no matter how hard he tried to get that spoon to his mouth, it wasn’t working. I asked him, “Do you want some help bud?” and he nodded yes.

I basically fed him his lunch and he ate the pudding by himself. I helped a little with the lifting of cups but he did the drinking and finally the pain pill must have kicked in because he was able to drink by himself. All through the meal he kept repeating himself. “Oh my legs hurts, oh my legs hurts”.

After lunch was over I pushed him back to his room and within minutes the lady came to take him to his outing. She had commented that they were going to his favorite store where there is coca cola but changed her mind when she saw how difficult of time Al was having. I think they ended up going to the day program for his time out today.

I am glad because his friends are there and he will get his bottle of diet coke. Maybe this will help ease his mind about his pain, even for a couple of hours would be a blessing to me.

Here are the photos I captured on my route and with Al.

snowmanblue skiesclouds and snowal eating

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Daily Prompt ; Seven Days / The Daily Post

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Daily Post, Daily Prompt, DP

http://dailypost.wordpress.com

You wake up tomorrow morning to find all your plans have been cancelled for the next seven days and $10,000 on your dresser. Tell us about your week.

The first thing I would do is rub my eyes and stare at the money. All the plans I had made would come in second place. I am human what can I say? It would finally be a V-8 moment and I would carefully go throughout my house to see if there were any other tell tale  signs of someone entering without my knowledge.

I would go to my routine without thinking. Make my coffee, splash cold water on my face to waken my eyes and thought process and brush my teeth. Oh wait I need to run a brush through my messy hair. Why don’t I have satin pillows so I don’t have to do that last step? LOL

Drinking my coffee my mind would edge its way to what were my plans. I would grab my date book and gaze through the boxes on the calendar. O yes, I was to have a doctor’s appointment. He was going to scold me for my sugars and my smoking. Well cross that one out and reschedule. It truly is a pleasure to put this event on hold.

Go to the track two days and walk. I know I should be sad but my body is jumping up and down with excitement to have a respite from this week. Aside from the guilt of not doing all I can do to be the best I can be; I can live with it.

The three days I have marked to go see Al does bother me. What am I going to say to him? What will he understand for me not being there? I will have to think on this one.Oh wait a cotton picking minute! He is no longer in that place. He is home here with me. Cross those thoughts out on having to explain my absence. The last day Friday, bill pay-day. I never have enjoyed that day of the week. All these bill companies wanting to take my money from me. What did I ever do to them? Well, I guess since I don’t pay late, they will accept waiting until Monday.

I toss the book aside and sip on my coffee wondering if I can get on my WP and shout it out that I have all this loot sitting here. Maybe I should not do that. I have heard those nightmare stories on 60 minutes. It seems that when people come into money, people you don’t even know come banging on your door. Nah, no one on WP is like that.

I have wonderful friends here. I don’t have to worry. They would be shouting along with me on my amazing find. Maybe I would make arrangements to fly, get tickets for trains, book what ever I have to in order to have every one of my WP friends here for a party to celebrate.

Yes, I think this is a fantastic idea. I love sharing and this makes me feel good. I will post on here my intentions and have everyone who follows me email me their personal information so I can make the arrangements for their arrival.

This is going to be so much fun. I am actually biting at the bit to make a huge picnic menu. Let’s see, slow cooked ribs over the open fires. Let’s throw on some chicken and some steaks too.

We will have more salad combinations than even the President has rested eyes on. I will make sure to have prepared dishes that  have no meat for my vegetarian friends too, this is very important. I don’t want anyone to feel left out.

I will go through old post and borrow some of my favorite recipes bloggers have posted for our desserts. Maybe I should get out the old ice-cream maker out and crank up some good old-fashioned treats. For drinks I will borrow the neighbor’s over-sized coffee pot. I shall make gallons of sun tea. In case we have any pop fans, I will purchase some soda too. Sorry there will be no alcohol at my party, I don’t touch the stuff.

Oh I am so excited. All of you can meet Al. We can all hug each other and talk face to face instead of chatting through the screens. I can’t wait. I have six weeks until everyone arrives. I better do some heavy-duty spring cleaning too. I don’t want any dust bunnies to pop their heads out, I would just die inside!

I would take some of the money and finishing paying off my car. It is my biggest burden. I still have a year and a half to pay on it, so let’s rid that puppy. I would go through Al’s summer clothes and see if he needs any adjustments made.

He and I would go on a mini trip to Florida. He and I absolutely loved the Amish restaurant we used to dine at. We would fly in and stay at a hotel over night. The next day we would drive by his prior day care and we would make a visit so he could chat with all of his old friends. I can just see his big smiles. This brings a happy tear to my eye.

After all is said and done, I would finish paying off Al’s funeral bill that is being threatened to be taken a way now. This will bring me comfort. I think I will add a policy for me also, since I have no plans made for my ending date.

With the rest of the money, I would place it in a secure safe. I just don’t trust those banking institutions anymore. They used to be such a good thing, but now it seems they charge for every little thing down to a signature. The safe is safer. I won’t make any interest on it but I don’t through the banks any longer either, so who cares.

Well now I feel so good inside. My friends are coming for a home-coming party. They will be camping out here at my home for a couple of days. I have the menu planned for the gathering. Al’s wardrobe is complete. We have managed to help Al’s heart burst from joy as he dines at his favorite restaurant and sees old friends. Our funerals are paid for and we have some left-over for a rainy day.

Life is good isn’t it? I don’t know who or what left that money on my dresser, but you certainly must be my brother and my guardian angels. You and God have seen our sorrows and our tears. Thank-you thank-you who ever you are.