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Transition

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by Viswamitra, Dec 2, 2018.

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  1. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Saturday, May 18th, 2019

    Census today - 18 patients - 4 deaths in the last 24 hours - Most patients were suffering from lung, ovarian and prostate cancers. One patient was suffering from Respiratory failure. Today is the first day I came to know about MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a bacteria that spreads only in healthcare facilities. If someone is admitted in more than 5 healthcare institutions, it has become a practice to test their nares to find this bacteria. One patient had this bacterial infection in the facility today and hence all of us were advised to visit the patient only after protecting ourselves with gown, mask and glove. Our care center has plenty of anti-bacterial solution to remove germs and we keep applying the solution every time we come into contact with a patient. There is always something new to learn in life.

    I realize that unless it is absolutely critical, it is not advisable to be hospitalized as most healthcare facilities have this bacteria already. A patient can have this bacteria without any symptoms for many years and it may not affect everyone with that bacterial infection. When combined with another health issue, it might cause significant problems.
     
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  2. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Viswa, I am hopelessly backlogged in responses to many interesting threads. The post is there in the mind but not enough time to post. Happily, this is because of getting more done in real life, and some tasks like meditation, purposeful reading, writing in good quantity and quality and more taking up regular chunks of the day. So, posting briefly and randomly below about many things I wanted to say.
    Keep it simple as far as possible. If you are not fully comfortable with a kind of task, eschew it. Also, from a more cynical point of view, the U.S. is a country with people trigger happy to sue. I vaguely reading a news where a good Samaritan who stopped to help the victim of a car accident. He or she moved the victim in a way that was not correct. The victim died or suffered serious injury. The good Samaritan was sued by the victim or victim's family. Contrast this to cases where the victims of families are thankful their loved one died in the arms of a stranger who stopped to help and did not die alone on the road or in the crashed car. We never know how these things can turn out. Best to help with other people around.

    Sounds nice. Though this country allows people to drive till they are very old, there are many without mobility and dependent on such programs.

    Viswa, people celebrating the birthday of their child by skipping a regular party, instead going to an orphanage and handing out gifts to the orphanage's residents, and cutting cake etc there is a topic often discussed animatedly. We discussed it in threads here in IL also. Most feel that it is inconsiderate of the feelings of the orphanage children and actually borders on cruel.

    The plan you have is different. It will celebrate the birthday of the orphanage's children in the orphanage with their friends there. Still, something about it doesn't seem right. The child might or might not want to celebrate his birthday. He will not have much say in the theme and who gets invited. Birthdays bring up a picture of child cutting cake with parents, and taking the first bite, and proud and happy parents behind him. A celebration will remind the child of what is missing in his life. The feasibility of this can be discussed at length. You could bring up the intentions of the volunteers which are no doubt sincere and from the heart. You could also say what the volunteers hope will be the child's feeling about such celebration. I will not be able to exactly put in words the niggling misgivings that come to the mind. So, I will end my thoughts on this matter here. If you think it suitable, how about you start a separate thread on the topic? It could bring in ideas on how to go about this venture sensitively.

    I would suggest a slightly different plan where the same amount of money is donated and the children can each pick an item or two to buy from a curated amazon or other list. This can happen twice a year - in August when school starts and during the holidays in December. Or towards a monthly field trip the venue of which the children can vote upon.

    Post more about this here in the Schoolgoers & teens section?
    #respect. To volunteer amid such potential risks to own health.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2019
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  3. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    But the reason for backlog appears to be for good causes such as meditation, purposeful reading, writing in good quantity and quality, etc., which makes me feel happy.

    You have nailed it here. Besides, there is a clear direction that none of the volunteers should accept cash, gift, etc. and if it is offered should be delivered to the Coordinator for accounting in the organization. In my view, most volunteers don't volunteer for such benefit and sometimes, a handful of volunteers might be tempted. However, many patients want to reward those who take care of them for a prolonged period of time and sometimes, include them in their will that causes a bitter heartache for kith and kin, even if the reward is small.

    I am told those seniors who receive meals and produces feel extremely delighted and watching their happiness is the greatest reward for those who volunteer. Moreover, you come to know many seniors in the neighborhood and other areas.

    This is in a primitive stage of discussion. The home is yet to confirm their acceptance to such program and obviously, their decision makers at the Executive level will have to approve. They have some high profile board members with different experiences including psychiatrists and psychologists. Our spiritual center has not made up the mind as yet whether to do this project or not. We do have members who are psychiatrists as well and they told the children look at celebration with the friends and caregivers as the family in such situation and will feel happiness on the special day. The happiness they derive comes from the company of people they are familiar for a long period of time who has consistently showered love to them. I have personally experienced how happy the children were when they meet even ex-employees of children's home. Some may not have their birthdays recorded. There are so many different angles that need to be reviewed. If it will hurt the children more than helping them, the whole project will be dropped.

    Interestingly, there are so many other volunteering opportunities in this organization that involve other activities that would help children. They don't take any money from federal or state governments. All of the donations are from Churches, individuals, corporations, etc but still governed by regulatory requirements. They like to have volunteering time from the common public which appears to be the need of the hour. They don't give access to the children unless it is prior approved by the psychiatrist and background screening is completed.

    Sure.

    But the training to protect the volunteers are pretty good. Only thing the volunteers need to do is to read the report and make sure they take precautions properly before attending to a patient infected with specific bacteria and other infections.
     
    Last edited: May 23, 2019
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  4. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Saturday, May 25th, 2019

    I attended a spiritual retreat in another city but heard so much about how selfless service could be provided by hearing the speech of a doctor who had helped people who can't afford medical treatment for their eyes. He lives in the UK but traveled to remote locations worldwide covering over 100 countries. Meeting a person like this felt like meeting a Yogi who had meditated in the Himalayas for many many years. I have taken a photograph with him to recall every word he spoke in this retreat.

    Saturday, June 1st, 2019

    Census: 19 rooms occupied when we started duty with 1 arrived to occupy the 20th room. It is unusual to have all rooms occupied in a day in the care center. - 1 death in the last 24 hours - The patient who arrived was unconscious and heavily sedated when she arrived from the hospital. I have so much respect for those Ambulance staff who transport patients throughout the day and we offer cookies and coffee for them every time they arrive with a patient. Only one patient's life support system started peeping and we rushed to call a nurse to fix it during our duty. Otherwise, mostly the duty went uneventful. I heard the nurses work 12 hours in the care center and their smile despite such hard work taught me something important in life. Only one visitor requested her mother to be fed by one of us and none of us were trained to do so. Unfortunately, we could not help.
     
  5. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Saturday, June 8th

    I had a business trip and hence had to cancel the Saturday service in the care center.

    Saturday, June 15th

    Census - 19 patients - 2 new admissions - 5 deaths - Unusually most patients were above 90 except one who is 43 years suffering from Hepatic failure. Initially, I was feeling sad that this patient imposed it on him by his habits, then, overwhelming thought came to me that it could be due to natural cause and hence I prayed for him for a few minutes.

    3 patients were marked affected by MRSA, an infection generally caused by them going in and out of hospitals often. The volunteers should restrict their physical contact and if needed, should wear glove, jacket and respiratory protection. 1 patient was marked to be careful in physical contact as she has fluid secretion from her abdomen.

    My usual co-volunteer was absent today as she was having fun attending a concert down in South Florida. However, someone else was volunteering with me. The one volunteer who normally volunteer from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday stayed back for a while and we had nice conversation. Her little Lillie, puppy is so resourceful and a volunteer with a harness marked, "I work for hugs and kisses". Spending time with her is heavenly.
     
  6. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Saturday, June 23rd, 2019

    Census - 11 patients - 5 new admissions - 7 deaths in the last 24 hours - 1 marked imminent. I had a chance to meet with a volunteer who has been with the Hospice for more than 20 years volunteering. There was so much to learn from her. She invited me to come and attend the strategy meeting on July 19th to discuss about how to serve the patients better. Even though I was happy that the rooms were not filled up, it was painful to know that 7 patients died in 24 hours.

    While we were discussing, a call came asking for one of the volunteers to sit with the imminent patient. He was 83 years old and unconscious. However, the nurse requested he was a former veteran and his family is not with him as she expects him to pass in the next couple of hours. I immediately rushed to the room and sat down in the visitor's sofa. I was wondering what can I do to make his transition smooth and only thing came to my mind is to pray. I prayed for an hour straight for his peaceful transition by reciting the hymns that I know.

    The nurse came 40 minutes after I was in the room and gave two more shots to him. I noticed that he was given a certificate by the Hospice for serving the military. I never knew that we can talk to unconscious patient until she started talking to him. She said, "XXXX, It is okay to go. We all dearly love you. We wish you well". It was very touching to see how she conducted herself to a patient who was completely unconscious.

    There is so much to learn everyday at the volunteering effort.

    Viswa
     
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  7. Sandyr46

    Sandyr46 Gold IL'ite

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    :clap2::clap2: lovely viswamitra sir' wish we had sumtin like this in Mumbai.
     
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  8. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    @Sandyr46,

    Thank you for your encouraging words.

    Viswa
     
  9. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Saturday, June 29, 2018

    Census: 14 patients - 6 vacant room - 4 new admissions - 5 deaths

    I went back and reviewed the previous week's record to understand whether the patient who I attended on Saturday evening passed away that night and I found out that he died on Sunday morning. That Sunday 10 patients died.

    In general, patients feel bad get admitted into the Hospice as they think that it is their final destination. In some cases, they come for change of medicines and recover well to go back home. Some go back to the hospital care after the doctors' determined that their survival is questionable. Who can predict the death other than the creator Himself?

    I really love those attendants who bring patients in an ambulance. They are always smiling and very careful about how they transport the patients. One of the patients extended his arms refusing to get into the room. They were careful requesting him to keep his hand inside the stretcher so that they can move him into his room. They told many times, they would never get time to eat a meal. I really admire their commitment to what they do.

    I was very happy to notice that every patient had family members with them attending to the patients during my yesterday's duty time. Family being with them is a big motivation for those who are getting ready for their departure from this planet.
     
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  10. Sandyr46

    Sandyr46 Gold IL'ite

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    Viswamitra sir, they say those in hospice getting ready to depart see their dear ones who have already passed away or are heard talking to them. Is this true?
     
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