(Not my mother's walker, but a nice one!)My mother has shown some improvement in that now she can get around with her rolling walker and not the wheelchair so much. Our current problem is that its hard for her to get into those SUVs and pickup trucks that most of my family own. My Little Ole Lady car is the only one she can get into without the help of angels.
Who are the angels, you may be wondering.
...The van driver who helped me the first time I took Mama to dialysis qualifies as one. I was not used to dealing with wheelchairs. I parked too close to the curb. I didn't know you could push a button and open the door. But he did! I don't know what I would have done without him.
...A brother who works nearby and shows up at just the right time to help get her in and out, is another angel.
...My husband who has offered to drive us to dialysis on Saturdays and then to help me run errands and pass the time while waiting for the treatment to end.
....The two ambulance drivers who teamed up to put her into the front seat of a small SUV are also angels in disguise.
".... I was sick and you took care of me... (Matthew 25: 36)"
There are so many personalities in the waiting room at the dialysis center. Most of the patients are not able to drive themselves there and back, and the length of time of the dialysis treatment is unpredictable.... and so they wait... Because of this they all get to know each other and they love to talk. Kidney failure doesn't care what your walk in life is, so all kinds of people end up in one small room.
You can learn all about a person in just a few minutes, when that person is eager to talk. One recent new friend from the waiting room is who my husband has dubbed "The Cowboy".
The Cowboy is a small man wearing jeans and boots, probably about 70 years old, with a weathered face After about 15 minutes I knew his heart. He loves horses, riding horses, teaching kids how to ride horses. Sadly, dialysis has taken a lot of this away from him.
When I asked The Cowboy how many horses he had and if he still rode them, he said, "They ain't goin' to take everything away from me!". I hope the cowboy can ride horses for a long time to come...
An 11 year old neighbor girl, named Australia, is another love of his. Her mother was killed in an automobile accident in Texas when she was only 2 weeks old. So, he and Australia's grandmother, Ms. Helen, went to Texas and brought her back to North Carolina. Australia can ride a horse like nobody's business, right through the middle of town, in the mountains or anywhere, thanks to The Cowboy. She loves the cowboy and he loves her.
I caught a glimpse of Australia when she came to the door of the dialysis center to let him know his ride was there... She is as pretty as the place she is named after.
When a dialysis patient exits the treatment room to the waiting room, they look pale and weak. Some of them are nauseated and some of them experience cramps. Some of them have a loved one waiting for them and others ride a van or on a gurney in an ambulance. Some are amputees and use prosthetic legs. They are all ages.
But they all have one thing in common. Dialysis is their job. It keeps them alive and so they go.....
13 comments:
I've never taken anyone to dialysis yet, but all the other doctors you can mention, I've probably been there as a patient or taking someone. You will find angels everywhere, and in time, you will be the angel to tell someone new how to find the buttons.
I hope your mom keeps improving.
You missed one very important angel. One whose name is DEBBIE.
Each one you named is an angel.
I agree with Auntie M... you didn't mention the Debbie angel. I knew you had been busy with your mom and I've been thinking about you all. I'm glad to hear she is doing better. She is so fortunate to have family to take her to and from her appts. In the nursing home, we send some of our patients to dialysis on a transport van, where they go alone, get their treatment, then come back, alone, to lie in bed all day, trying to recover. Dialysis is amazing, but it sure is a tough life!! (((hugs))) to you and your mom... and Mr. Cowboy and Australia!
Thank you Auntie M the way you remembered Debbie brought tears to my eyes. I have been an angel in a cancer treatment center and.....well Thank you. Debbie is an angel for sure.
Sounds like a labor of love and I agree with Auntie M, you are definitely one of those angels. Hang in there.
My heart goes out to you and your family. It's difficult when a loved one is so ill and you can't make them well. (((( Debbie)))
I love you Mama. You're MY Angel
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. So glad your mother is doing better. I pray that continues. That's wonderful about all the help you've had! It was interesting to hear about the people you meet. The Cowboy struck a chord with me, being a cowgirl (mostly "at heart") myself. :) I pray you have a blessed rest of the week and weekend.
YOu are an angel too, Debbie! What a sweet post.
I know you are real busy taking care of your mama...blessings!!
Beautiful post. There is so much good in this tired, old world if we look for it. Thank you for sharing a little love.
Now I'm in love with The Cowboy, too. What spirit!
Thinking of you and your mother and praying things are going well. I'll check Angel scraps to see if you've posted there. If not your probably just real busy. Bless you this Thanksgiving season.
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