Tuesday, March 29, 2005
When the time comes...when you go home
This happened to me... one day about 8AM, ....my first patient was an immediate swallow eval and treat. The lovely Director of Rehab said they(patient, the wife and two sons) were admitted a few hours ago...and the patient (the father) was in critical condition....and probably going to die very soon. The swallow eval is standard with all new admits and in these circumstances the Speech Pathologist provides direct help with comforting the patient with ice chips on his lips, while also reducing aspiration of saliva...and determining the texture of foods and liquids that may or may not be recommended. If the patient has indicated they did not want a permanent feeding tube then the swallow/saliva management rehab skills of the Speech Pathologist are on the LINE....for the duration.
I muscled my way in behind the nurses station...a beehive of constant activity...the most loving ladies from "Manila" ....they all say they are from "Manila"...I pull his chart...check the stuff needed...orders etc...I look directly over the tall counter and I see a totally fried older woman weeping being a curtain...next to her are to rocks of men....their two sons...holding up mum...the nurse says you better get in there before he goes ....I cross the hall ...knock...close the door...introduce myself...go back out find a chair for the wife...Dad is going to go at any minute...he is beautiful...strong...a tall handsome man in his late 80's....the "death rattle" is loud as he is still alive but barely....
I position his head/neck with towels and extra pillows....I ice his lips....he is out of it...each breath you can see he is slowing down....I am holding his right hand and monitoring him while his wife is laying her head on his left hand she is holding.....
I get a sudden image as clear as can be... of this young brave american flying a giant plane over the hump during world war two. I look at the wife and ask.....did he fly the hump in world war two ?...she looks at me and says "yes...he is so proud of that...our son is a jet pilot today like his father is/was. Again out of nowhere, I get a sudden image where I see this black cocker spaniel running towards me but just off to my left...I looked at his wife and said...I had just seen a black cocker spaniel run up to me on my left .....like running down a path in a beautiful forest...a path going upwards with a little bend to the right... a path ending right at the patient....Mom and the boys look at me and all three start crying.....that dog was his loved one.......that was his dog meeting him...now during this time I am holding his hand...during this time he is passing away....his hand was warm...then the warmth left and he was gone. The wife thanked me for being there and helping them to "KNOW" he made it alright to heaven. The thoughts that I was given, which I put into words ....those thoughts from a spiritual source helped them tremendously at that most difficult time.
Mom called their minister...they wanted us to meet ...invited to the funeral I learned that this now passed over gentleman....was a mighty man...a man who loved himself and others with unconditional love.
Those sons, the wife and her beautiful husband and their loved ones are always in my prayers.