Slowly adjusting to having a Home Attendant...very slow. Not sure if this will be the best thing for me in the long run. While I enjoy having another human being I can talk to and someone to assist me with my day-to-day needs I'm not so sure or convinced I may need the assistance. I guess I'm coming with the perspective of someone who every day continues to hope and pray for his complete healing and physical restoration, Miss Amanda may be out of work any day now.
Amanda sat in my room for the bulk of the six hours she was assigned to be with me and in that time as we conversed and got to know each other I found out Amanda hails from Mexico and has been in the United States for the last sixteen years. Her English is very limited. I had requested a Bilingual attendant in the hope of enjoying the daily company of another person of Hispanic ethnicity. I also wanted my parents to be comfortable and at ease during their visits (especially my Dad who after almost half a century in this country has yet to feel the need or urgency to speak English. I guess at this rate he never will). I really wasn't looking forward to speaking mostly Spanish but luckily for me it is not an issue of great concern. I can hold my own in either tongue. "Espanol" it will be I guess.
The only issue that I am starting to realize is that Amanda offered to cook for me if need be but since she hails from South of the Border and it just so happens to be one of my least favorite cuisines, I won't be taking her up on her offer. Unless she can cook American or non-spicy dishes I will not be requesting her to cook any meals for me. I did send her to the corner bakery for freshly baked bread and I will definitely appreciate her running food errands for me since at the present moment my ability to get around and fetch my own things is nowhere near the flexibility it once was, I will definitely count on her for such favors. I am also greatly relieved that I have someone who can walk downstairs and answer the door (another source of inconvenience for me) and fetch me a glass of water whenever I am in need of it. Aside from that, there really isn't much else I require assistance or want help with. I refuse to let anyone bathe me. I can feed myself and as for changing and/or cleaning my colostomy bag, I have learned to do so on my own. As for help around the apartment I discovered today that Home Attendants are not required or expected to do so. It all depends on each individual's personalities when it comes to such tasks. By the look of things I don't think I'll be getting any help from Amanda in this department. Good thing I am fiercely independent and for the most part keep everything tidy and in its place. This latter part will no doubt cause my parents to complain and criticize the poor woman. My mother thinks Home Attendants are put here on earth to be pseudo-maids and servants. She will undoubtedly freak when she finds out Amanda prefers to sit nearby and keep me company rather than grab a mop or broom. The same goes for my Dad. Case in point, I was assigned a guy this past weekend when my parents were here for a visit. After a few hours of immobility on the part of the attendant, my dad came into the room and asked me in a loud voice: "Is he your friend or your worker because I haven't seen him do a damn thing since he walked through the door!" How embarrassing. I immediately apologized on behalf of my father. Luckily the young man was well aware of his duties and made it clear that he was not hired to clean or provide maid service. Home attendants only provide light maintenance work (i.e. washing any utensils used by the client during their particular shift) and assisting clients with their medical and physical needs. Needless to say, my father refused to accept ths and insisted they do more than just keep clients company.
Well, we shall see how things go. Tomorrow will be a full house at the Chemotherapy appointment. Luis, my good friend and spiritual brother will be here to pick me and transport me to and from medical appointment. He also remains with me for the entire time I am at the doctor's office. The same goes for my beloved Heather whom I affectionately have nicknamed my "Chemo. wife" since she usually shows up to my appointments and keeps me company from beginning to end. Now add my Home Attendant who is assigned to me for six hours a day and viola I will have a full entourage with me as I go about the business of receiving chemotherapy, getting blood work and vitals done, as well as meeting with my Doctor for my bi-weekly follow-up and check-up. Sadly I have a feeling I may have to say farewell to at least one or two individuals.
As much as I love the company, the chemo. cubicle is much too small for four of us (not counting the nursing staff) to comfortably fit in. Truth be known, as my strength increases I have been looking forward to attending my appointments increasingly more independently and on my own. As soon as my Access-a-Ride privileges are in place I was planning on going solo since I am eager to get back to more of a sense of the independence I lost and was taken from me when my health took a turn for the worst. Once I am able to reserve and fully use the transportation services offered by Access-a-Ride I intend to only utilize Luis during occasions when I am required an escort in order to leave the premises (usually required after procedures requiring the use of sedatives and anastesia).
Well, I guess that is all i want to write for now. Need to prepare for tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your encouraging comments. I am so blessed to be alone in this world yet so well loved and always in the best of company. I am a lucky, lucky man, Cancer or no Cancer!
Crooked Notes by Idilio Rivera is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Amanda sat in my room for the bulk of the six hours she was assigned to be with me and in that time as we conversed and got to know each other I found out Amanda hails from Mexico and has been in the United States for the last sixteen years. Her English is very limited. I had requested a Bilingual attendant in the hope of enjoying the daily company of another person of Hispanic ethnicity. I also wanted my parents to be comfortable and at ease during their visits (especially my Dad who after almost half a century in this country has yet to feel the need or urgency to speak English. I guess at this rate he never will). I really wasn't looking forward to speaking mostly Spanish but luckily for me it is not an issue of great concern. I can hold my own in either tongue. "Espanol" it will be I guess.
The only issue that I am starting to realize is that Amanda offered to cook for me if need be but since she hails from South of the Border and it just so happens to be one of my least favorite cuisines, I won't be taking her up on her offer. Unless she can cook American or non-spicy dishes I will not be requesting her to cook any meals for me. I did send her to the corner bakery for freshly baked bread and I will definitely appreciate her running food errands for me since at the present moment my ability to get around and fetch my own things is nowhere near the flexibility it once was, I will definitely count on her for such favors. I am also greatly relieved that I have someone who can walk downstairs and answer the door (another source of inconvenience for me) and fetch me a glass of water whenever I am in need of it. Aside from that, there really isn't much else I require assistance or want help with. I refuse to let anyone bathe me. I can feed myself and as for changing and/or cleaning my colostomy bag, I have learned to do so on my own. As for help around the apartment I discovered today that Home Attendants are not required or expected to do so. It all depends on each individual's personalities when it comes to such tasks. By the look of things I don't think I'll be getting any help from Amanda in this department. Good thing I am fiercely independent and for the most part keep everything tidy and in its place. This latter part will no doubt cause my parents to complain and criticize the poor woman. My mother thinks Home Attendants are put here on earth to be pseudo-maids and servants. She will undoubtedly freak when she finds out Amanda prefers to sit nearby and keep me company rather than grab a mop or broom. The same goes for my Dad. Case in point, I was assigned a guy this past weekend when my parents were here for a visit. After a few hours of immobility on the part of the attendant, my dad came into the room and asked me in a loud voice: "Is he your friend or your worker because I haven't seen him do a damn thing since he walked through the door!" How embarrassing. I immediately apologized on behalf of my father. Luckily the young man was well aware of his duties and made it clear that he was not hired to clean or provide maid service. Home attendants only provide light maintenance work (i.e. washing any utensils used by the client during their particular shift) and assisting clients with their medical and physical needs. Needless to say, my father refused to accept ths and insisted they do more than just keep clients company.
Well, we shall see how things go. Tomorrow will be a full house at the Chemotherapy appointment. Luis, my good friend and spiritual brother will be here to pick me and transport me to and from medical appointment. He also remains with me for the entire time I am at the doctor's office. The same goes for my beloved Heather whom I affectionately have nicknamed my "Chemo. wife" since she usually shows up to my appointments and keeps me company from beginning to end. Now add my Home Attendant who is assigned to me for six hours a day and viola I will have a full entourage with me as I go about the business of receiving chemotherapy, getting blood work and vitals done, as well as meeting with my Doctor for my bi-weekly follow-up and check-up. Sadly I have a feeling I may have to say farewell to at least one or two individuals.
As much as I love the company, the chemo. cubicle is much too small for four of us (not counting the nursing staff) to comfortably fit in. Truth be known, as my strength increases I have been looking forward to attending my appointments increasingly more independently and on my own. As soon as my Access-a-Ride privileges are in place I was planning on going solo since I am eager to get back to more of a sense of the independence I lost and was taken from me when my health took a turn for the worst. Once I am able to reserve and fully use the transportation services offered by Access-a-Ride I intend to only utilize Luis during occasions when I am required an escort in order to leave the premises (usually required after procedures requiring the use of sedatives and anastesia).
Well, I guess that is all i want to write for now. Need to prepare for tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and feel free to leave your encouraging comments. I am so blessed to be alone in this world yet so well loved and always in the best of company. I am a lucky, lucky man, Cancer or no Cancer!
Crooked Notes by Idilio Rivera is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
I am so grateful to read your updates as we keep you in our prayers only, though it's been long since we have spoken so you wouldn't know it. So I am telling you here. In fact, we prayed again (and usually do) at the last prayer meeting I was at. I sort of figured you were not so alone anymore and between snow storms, school issues and now the health issues that ensued today because of a car accident this morning, things just seem to be piling up here. Oh, not to mention that I taught my first unit last night, praise God.
ReplyDeleteSo there are the excuses but the truth be told, you are NEVER distant from my heart. You are dearer than dear and I look forward to your continued healing and recovery. You said that the CT scan showed some evidence of the tumor's growth being stopped in one of your recent posts. So does that mean that this continued chemo is because the doctors expect it to reduce even more with continued chemo treatments? I am very excited for you but continue to pray for side effects to cease and desist!
Perhaps if nothing else we can have a phone conversation. Email me or text me and let me know which days are best for you and I'll give it a whirl!
Well, having run on this long I just have one more thing to say.....I LOVE YOU!