I applied for, and was chosen, to be a Peer Leader for a three-day seminar next month, given by the Educational Opportunity Fund at the college I attend. I’m very excited about this because when I attended the seminar last year, it was a huge help to me. Now I have a shot at making a difference to this year’s new students!
Speaking of making a difference… I am really enjoying my new job. Although I may not be a doctor, a nurse, or a social worker (yet!), I feel like I’m making a small difference in the days of some of our residents and their family members.
The visitors. I see all the visitors that come in, and I always smile, and greet them in a warm and friendly way. Most likely, they aren’t happy about being there, so maybe a kind word helps to brighten their day just a little bit. There are quite a few regulars whom I see every day, and we know each other’s names now. They smile when they come in and see me, and we chat. I feel good interacting with these folks, and I hope that they enjoy it too.
There’s Marie (not her real name), whom I met on Thursday. She’s probably in her sixties. Her fiancee had been admitted earlier that day, and she was feeling exhausted, upset, and unsure if she’d made the right decision to admit him, rather than continue caring for him at home. He is dying of cancer and has had a drastic decline in just two weeks’ time. The incident that prompted her to admit him to the nursing home was that he tried to get out of bed by himself, while she was sleeping, and he fell. She later found him lying on the floor, and somehow managed to pick him up and get him back on the bed. Her story touched me; she touched me. When she stops to talk to me–on her way in, and on her way out–I listen and offer words of encouragement. What I really want to do is give her a big hug! I think she’s the one making a difference in my life… Be grateful for all that I have, and don’t waste a moment!
Then there’s Fred (not his real name). I’m not sure who he comes to visit every day, but I look forward to his arrival. He’s always got a wise-ass comment or something funny to say. It’s odd to realize, just two, short weeks ago, we only exchanged hellos.
The residents. At first, I was kind of intimidated by them. I’ve never liked hospitals, and have never been comfortable around ‘sick people’. Add to that a severe lack of patience (no pun intended) on my part. This place, and these people, are changing all that.
Brad (not his real name) is in a wheel chair, and I see him almost every day, roaming the lobby or the hallways. He’s a very pleasant man, and probably about 55 or so. When I saw him the other day, and said, “Hello Brad, how are you today?”, he smiled at me. I’m not sure if it’s because I remembered his name, or because I took the time to talk to him, or if he was just glad to see me, but it sure made my day to see him smile!
Mr. Wright (not his real name). He yelled at me the first time I met him. The other day, I saw him in the lobby, and I asked how he was. He didn’t yell; we had a brief, yet pleasant exchange. From what a couple of other employees have told me, gruff is his usual demeanor, so I think maybe I’ve made a little bit of progress with him!
There are many others I could write about (and maybe I will eventually). I’ve experienced so much in the month that I’ve been at the nursing home. Some of it sad, but much of it not. So far, it has substantiated my belief that I want to be a social worker. These people are making a difference in my life, and maybe, just maybe, I am making a small difference in theirs too.
