As I re-read yesterday's post, I couldn't help but smile. There I was, comparing plumbers to angels. The fact is, I have more reason than most to be grateful for plumbers. Over the years, we have called upon plumbers more and more often.
I think our pipes are elderly, which makes me think about my own pipes--also elderly. I have a sweet nephew who works with the elderly, helping them live with dignity. (Did you like that segue?) Even more, he treates them with dignity.
Nearly four years ago, my father lay dying in a center that was supposed to make his last days more comfortable. After he spent two days there, my sister and I removed him and brought him to her home, where we took care of him. We could not bear the way some of the attendants treated him. They did not take the time to learn his name but referred to him as "Buddy." His cries for help went unheeded, as did his need for pain medication.
With Hospice's help, we tenderly cared for him until his death five days later. Why do I tell you this story? I do so to thank the people who care for elderly people with love and compassion. I have seen the bad side of elder care and, fortunately, have seen the good side as well.
So, for today, I am grateful for those who treat our elderly as the precious individuals they are.
It is a wonderful segue, and a wonderful tribute to those who help the elderly with their next segue. We are never too young, old, fat, skinny, tired, quirky, or whatever to have outlived our usefulness or our right to human dignity.
ReplyDelete