Post by PassionateBB on Dec 24, 2004 19:07:00 GMT -5
Merry Christmas Everyone! I don't know about you, but I can't wait until it's over.
In my new position at work I do social services, kind of like social work, and admissions for the nursing home. All week long I've been bombarded with inquiries and referrals from hospitals trying to dump their most destitute cases. They do that this time of year for a couple of reasons but mainly everyone is short staffed and the pharmacies close up.
I've read in these referrals of a woman in a drug treament house who refused an ambulance to the hospital with stomach pains because she would miss her 3:45am meth dose. So they give it to her at the scheduled time, ship her off in a taxi to the ER and while there tells the hospital staff she didn't get her scheduled dose! Ha! So they give her 95mgs and she's flying now! They wanted to ship her off to us but we can't handle that segment of the population.
Another one was a homeless 67 year old former drug addict found curled up in a ball on the street. No family, no friends, no money, no nothing. He was brought to a hospital and now they want to dump, because of course he can't pay.
I went to see a 92 year old lady for possible admission and asked her what her Christmas wish was. She said, "To be able to die before the new year." She then proceeded to explain to me that she's lived her life and done it all. She's had enough and it's time to go. From my experience, I can tell you she'll get her wish. Once they decide to die they do. They know. They just know.
One of my favorite people at the nursing home is a younger (70s) woman dying of a brain tumor. She had to give up her dog because she couldn't take care of it anymore. She gave up everything and is lying in a bed waiting to die. But I keep telling her she needs to get off Hospice care. Because of the type of work I do I can see death coming. And it aint coming for this lady anytime soon. She has an attitude about life similar to mine and laughs and jokes with everyone. I just don't see angels waiting in the wings for her anytime soon. I hope I'm right.
I guess I feel a need to write all this because I cannot stand all the gift giving and traffic and stress and the pressure you feel this time of year. I cannot stand the fact that while those of us fortunate to have jobs and family and friends are celebrating, the homeless and less fortunate and the sick and elderly are lonely and ask for so little, so little.
Don't ever make fun of the elderly, as you'll be one someday too. Don't beat the homeless when they're down. I can tell you I've been very, very close to that situation myself. Don't wish someone dead or be afraid to visit a sick family member or friend. Spend just a half hour a week visiting a nursing home or bringing coffee to a homeless person or telling someone down on their luck that their life has value. If we all do this at Christmas time and in the new year we'll be rewarded with riches beyond belief. I promise you.
Thanks for "listening".
PBB
In my new position at work I do social services, kind of like social work, and admissions for the nursing home. All week long I've been bombarded with inquiries and referrals from hospitals trying to dump their most destitute cases. They do that this time of year for a couple of reasons but mainly everyone is short staffed and the pharmacies close up.
I've read in these referrals of a woman in a drug treament house who refused an ambulance to the hospital with stomach pains because she would miss her 3:45am meth dose. So they give it to her at the scheduled time, ship her off in a taxi to the ER and while there tells the hospital staff she didn't get her scheduled dose! Ha! So they give her 95mgs and she's flying now! They wanted to ship her off to us but we can't handle that segment of the population.
Another one was a homeless 67 year old former drug addict found curled up in a ball on the street. No family, no friends, no money, no nothing. He was brought to a hospital and now they want to dump, because of course he can't pay.
I went to see a 92 year old lady for possible admission and asked her what her Christmas wish was. She said, "To be able to die before the new year." She then proceeded to explain to me that she's lived her life and done it all. She's had enough and it's time to go. From my experience, I can tell you she'll get her wish. Once they decide to die they do. They know. They just know.
One of my favorite people at the nursing home is a younger (70s) woman dying of a brain tumor. She had to give up her dog because she couldn't take care of it anymore. She gave up everything and is lying in a bed waiting to die. But I keep telling her she needs to get off Hospice care. Because of the type of work I do I can see death coming. And it aint coming for this lady anytime soon. She has an attitude about life similar to mine and laughs and jokes with everyone. I just don't see angels waiting in the wings for her anytime soon. I hope I'm right.
I guess I feel a need to write all this because I cannot stand all the gift giving and traffic and stress and the pressure you feel this time of year. I cannot stand the fact that while those of us fortunate to have jobs and family and friends are celebrating, the homeless and less fortunate and the sick and elderly are lonely and ask for so little, so little.
Don't ever make fun of the elderly, as you'll be one someday too. Don't beat the homeless when they're down. I can tell you I've been very, very close to that situation myself. Don't wish someone dead or be afraid to visit a sick family member or friend. Spend just a half hour a week visiting a nursing home or bringing coffee to a homeless person or telling someone down on their luck that their life has value. If we all do this at Christmas time and in the new year we'll be rewarded with riches beyond belief. I promise you.
Thanks for "listening".
PBB
