I just came back from a 9 day vacation in California. I went with my husband and daughter, and we visited my son, his fiance, as well as a bunch of friends from our college days. It was relaxing and fun. It was very good to get away from my brother for a while, to not have any responsibilities. I called him once when we were gone and he was fine.
This is a lot different from when he was at the other nursing homes, when I always worried that he could get a cold, start vomiting, and die from bad medical care, which has almost happened several times. It is such a relief to be able to go away for a few days and not feel guilty about it.
My brother was in good spirits when my husband and I went to visit him last Sunday. We took him out for an afternoon snack and coffee. I think his mood is better because the holidays are over.
We discussed a bit what happened at the nursing home when the weather got bad. It got down to about 20-25 degrees below zero with a wind chill of about 40 when we were out of town. I asked him if the nursing home was short staffed during this period and he said that most of the staff showed up, that only a few actually slept over to avoid the danger of commuting. All three of us expressed appreciation for these folks. Many of the staff are low income, but dedicated to the clients, and I think it's very important not to take that for granted. I always make a point of thanking any staff that I see in the elevator, etc., for working at the nursing home and taking care of those who can't take care of themselves. These are very difficult jobs and it is a shame and even unfair that the wages are usually so low.
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