I don't know if this comes from growing older, being sick, or both. Lately, I am so grateful for every one that I have met through out the course of my life, (those that I can remember) and for the little things that I have always taken for granted. I witnessed something two nights ago that I have witnessed dozens of times before, but for some reason, this time it affected me differently. It was kind of like I was crying, but only on the inside, no visible tears. I know this gentleman because I volunteer at the facility he resides at. As I said, I've crossed path's with him on and off for a while now. For his privacy, I will not use his real name.
I stopped by two nights ago to say hello to everyone and Jim was sitting at the kitchen table. Jim is my age, maybe a year younger, or a year older, I'm not sure. By looking at first sight, one could tell that Jim had been a very physically fit man during his life, but his muscles were now showing signs of degeneration. I had heard that Jim was also a very handsome, ladies man, but recent weight loss had begun to make him look sickly and gaunt. The way I understand Jim's reason for being at this facility started with a motorcyle accident that caused brain trauma, he was not wearing a helmet. Soon after he started to heal, Jim developed Huntingtons Disease. Jim always had Huntingtons, but it didn't rear it's ugly head until after his accident. For those of you that don't know, Huntingtons Disease is inherited and causes the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Everything that you and I do on a daily basis is affected and wiped away by this disease. Jim can't even say hello any more, he can only say two words, food and hungry. Jim can only walk now with assistance, his food has to be blended, because a side effect of Huntingtons Disease is difficulty swallowing. A few years back, Jim was as average as you and I, today his condition worsens on a daily basis. Three months ago when Jim needed assistance changing his clothes, while saying nothing, you could see the look on his face was one of embarrassment, and he would resist being changed. Today, it's a blank stare, no resistance, no embarrassment.
As I said earlier, Jim was sitting at the kitchen table, I said "Hi Jim", he looked up at me and said "Food". I told him "Jim, you look good tonight", he again said "Food," that's when it all hit me and on my inside I started to cry. I don't know if it was my heart breaking for this man that was an average guy a few, short years back, or whether I was crying for all people like Jim, I believe it was both. The reason that we as a society don't see many people like Jim out and about is because they are put into these homes and forgotten about. I understand that people with disabilities sometimes can only recieve the care that they need by being placed in a home that can give them the attention that they need. The being forgotten about, even by their own family is the part I just don't understand, and that breaks my freaking heart.
There are so many other stories to tell. Today I'm grateful for having met and being able to mingle with these fine, fine people. Please, for all of those forgotten people across the lands, keep them in your prayers. Until tomorrow family and friends. Love.
1 comment:
Bless you George for the time you give in showing love and compassion to the forgotten souls. My grandparents ran an "Old Folks Home" and we would visit them and stay at the home when we visited. Many of these people were still mobile and a few had apartments within the home community. But all gathered in the evening in the big sitting room to hear the Word and sing hymns. Then to the ajoining dining room for dinner (they also ate breakfast and lunch there). I and all my cousins would end up being entertained by one or another of these, we would each have our own special "grandparent" for our visit, on top of our actual grandparents. For some, we were the only "grandchildren" that visited them. I so loved visiting the care home, it was such a place of love. Thanks for making me remember. :)
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