The staff have many people to look after and have to divide their time accordingly, I know. The people who are on staff are good and they do the best they can but the ratio of staff to residents is two to fifteen or sixteen and when they’re all sick that’s hardly enough. They should double the staff in a situation like they have now however, two situations come into play. First the head honcho doesn’t want to have to pay for extra staff and two, there’s not many to call on.
Most of the staff has been sick too. Some are back on shift now but you can see they’re not 100% better. They are looking drawn and worn down. The flu, or whatever it is, has spread to the other wing of the residence now and from what I hear, it’s even more difficult on that wing a lot of the residents have Dementia and it’s next to impossible to keep residents in their rooms unless they are just too sick to move. On the wing where Mom is at, even when they’re at their best, no one is ever mobile.
I was the last one on shift to go visit Mom yesterday. I stayed with her until 8 p.m. This morning Diane is going to see her. At noon Lorraine will go to try and make her drink and eat some broth and I will go in the late afternoon and stay to do the same. She may be completely different today. We never know. It’s been known to happen with her but I very much doubt it as this time she’s had a lot knocked out of her. She’s lost a lot of weight and she’s extremely weak and unable to move at all by herself.
Yesterday, all we managed to get her to take was a few sips of chicken broth, a few sips of water and some ice chips. We will see how she does today. Depending on how she does today, my brother might decide to come down from Alberta to see her.
Life cycles. Somehow I’m more aware of them this past week. Perhaps it’s losing one of the residents and Mom’s brush with her own cycle that’s brought me to this place but I see reflections of it starring back at me almost everywhere I go.
A guy my age who I know is in a comma in the hospital doing a balancing act, hanging on the edge between life and death. A mother and son crossing the street but it’s the son looking out for the mother and holding her hand. Images of 30 or 40 years ago flash across my mind, the boy just a lad, arm extended upwards to reach his mother’s hand. Now he slows his steps to hers and helps her reach the other side safely.
On our Sunday drive, I see trees dying on the forest edge, their bark falling off and laying on the forest floor and right beside it a seedling waiting to get as tall and as sturdy as the old one once was. At church I see the people with white hair and somewhere in the distance I hear the grunting sounds of a newborn child and I am reminded once more of how life comes and then immediately proceeds to move on.
4 comments:
Memere is very lucky to have the three of you looking after her so well. Even though she may not be able to show it, I know she appreciates what you're doing for her. I hope she's better soon.
Holding you close, Annette, as you acknowledge the cycles of life around you. Sending you and your mom love and light and prayers for each day.
Love, Paula
There's that word Balance again. The circle of life. Not infinity, like the circular neclaces we can buy these days to show our unending love for each other. Life drifts along until it eventually hits the edge of the horizon and then slips beyond it to appear again on another horizon. It's a mystery to me. Take care Annette and know what a great daughter you are.
love always,
Phillis xoxoxoxo
Blessings with prayers at this difficult time in life.
Barbara
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