Remember yesterday when I was totally bummed out because there was nothing resource wise at least from my home healthcare provider to assist with emergency coverage because my home health person, Melanie indicated she was too sick to provide my morning program and shower. I even defaulted to the point where I would do an evening program but my providers only response was they would see if they could get a hold Melanie to see if she would do that!? I spoke with Melanie she sounds like death warmed over. The fact the agency pretty much told me to work it out with Melanie because they didn't have anyone who could provide backup. When I visited with Melanie she said there is no way she could do it and that she would come in in the morning. The way she sounded I didn't think that was a reality but what could I say. I pushed the envelope a little bit longer didn't have a bowel movement and decided hopefully Tuesday would be better. I guess if there's a silver lining it was that I told Melanie if she was going to do that she had to come in on our earlier in this case seven a.m.
This morning at 7 AM the door opened and in walked Melanie. I can honestly say I was shocked at how ill Melanie looked. You got a realize Melanie the small person when she's healthy but she was deathly sick this morning. And realize that even with my help she still has to get me up in my lift push me all around the bathroom from my power chair to the toilet and back again when I'm done with my shower. She was so weak she could barely move me around and she was crying while doing this. I felt devastated the guilty for having to be the person that she had to drag yourself out of bed to serve. I felt rushed I felt insecure for trying to finish up sooner than probably I should of but luckily nothing happened today. Oh, the reason I had the 7 AM time was because today was Tuesday which means I have my Assist, Inc. meeting. Seriously this meeting is at 11 AM but I have to make sure that I am going to be able to get showered and then dressed in time to get down to the office to take part in the meeting. I made the meeting and better yet I got paid!
I know I'm a volunteer advisory board member and in the old days when my buddy David ran this program he worked out a deal but where the participants could get a small stipend every six or eight weeks seemed like. It is never very much money on what else they would rather not take the money but we all do and a couple of the participants over the years has really needed the stipend smalls of this. Anyway, today Andreas presented us with a sealed envelope our stipend. I was shocked because I had heard the new management of Assist, Inc. was not going to continue the stipend program but obviously they rethought the idea and I ended up with $88! I have no idea how they figure this out but I wasn't would argue. I use this “shot in the arm” to head back down to Market Street Grill for my favorite bowl of clam chowder and the hard artesian bread. I figured I was worth it. I could've got more I'm really dying to try their fish and chips which would've been like $15 and I certainly could've covered it with the change of my wallet but I decide to stick with the soup and bread and felt very special for my volunteer efforts…A
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