Jewells of Thought

Since I found out today would be the viewing for this man I have to admit I have dreaded it. For some reason, even though I know the ladies that worked at Dialysis have never actually been seen at the viewings of the patients they say they love, don’t show up. I was early today they could still have shown up, but it seems they like to talk and not show action when it comes to that or maybe it’s the finality of being at the funeral home.

I do remember the finality of making switches and having the seats change in these situations were sometimes harder than we let on. I went through this at least a dozen times before I left the Clinic. I do know that it’s hard to lose patients having endured it myself and it doesn’t get any easier you have to get to know the patient to treat them well. So today all of this was in the back of my mind. Yet I still dread could one of my former coworkers actually be there, this man was very beloved by the staff although I could say that about nearly every patient.

My ties to this family started with this man’s mother and church. Then I realized that his mother was related to another friend. I actually knew my patient’s uncle and his nieces better than his mother at one time. It’s really rather comical how I didn’t understand all of this until just recently. His uncle and aunt have been great friends of our family since Bethel Baptist Church in the late 1990s then both our families migrated to Fellowship.

The world seems smaller even still though…

When I worked at Walmart I worked alongside his sister-in-law. We both have the curse of Walmart’s cement curse on our feet. She had to have surgery though I was told I was too young to have surgery in my younger 30’s. Now I just dope my foot up so I can stand for more than a couple of hours at a time to shop.

Life is so interesting sometimes. I have had some wonderful conversations with my Walmart coworkers because we all understand what we went through together and have memories, but I can’t have the same talks with my Dialysis coworkers. Our time together at the store has bonded us immensely, I mean there are several ladies just recently I have talked with and continue to have conversations with over the years. There have never been hard feelings among us.

I also got to learn something more about this man I stuck those a few times ago over a year now. He was in the Army for 27 years. For some reason I didn’t know that I wish I had I would have put him in the Church Veterans Program years ago. I vaguely remember him coming a couple of times with his mother. He deserved that recognition. I am so grateful we went this afternoon, getting to hug his Mom and seeing his sister-in-law again.

Even a solemn day can be a good day. As always though some other thoughts hit me preparing for today. Our first time in this funeral home since Aunt Carol’s viewing and funeral. It had almost been an entire 4 months since we were last inside those walls. Time goes on even as I wore a pair of her dress shoes today.

Is it weird how observant and detailed my thoughts and memories can be?