What is your biggest concern?
My biggest concern, the one truth that I couldn’t allow passed the lump in my throat when asked by the hospice staff during each visit “What is your biggest concern right now” was...
Do You Know What Bliss Looks Like?
The nurse assured me that Vivian could still pull out of this decline while informing me how to identify signs of pain or terminal agitation so that I could provide the proper comfort medications as needed.
One Day at a Time
I’ve been through a lot in my lifetime thus far, or so I’ve been told. To me it’s just life. I don’t recognize what others term as “a lot” until or unless I’m told by an outside observer that what I’ve experienced is more than the usual lot – sometimes not even then.
Back Home on Garfield Street
I finished my errands and arrived home to find Scott’s car still in the driveway. When I went to check on him, I heard sobs coming from the shower. Then I knew, unmistakably, that this hospital visit would not be the same.
Sunshine, Sombreros, and Snow-cones, Oh My!
The staff has done an amazing job helping Vivian and the other residents maintain as normal a living environment as possible despite the quarantine restrictions. While residents haven’t been allowed to receive visits from family or friends, staff have gone the extra mile to arrange window visits or video calls to connect residents with their loved ones.
And She Keeps Smiling
Vivian was amazed at seeing both mine and Scott’s faces on one screen at the same time. And her smile! At first, she moved the phone up close to her face trying to figure out exactly what this FaceTime thing was.
A Simple Trip Home
How, exactly, do you explain to a 79-year-old with dementia why you haven’t been able to visit her over the past few weeks? Covid-19. Pandemic. Social Distancing. Dealing with her dementia is hard enough without confusing her with information she can’t quite grasp.
