This morning I drove to Gainesville to run a couple of errands and then on to visit Truett. I put in my John Mayer cd and drove through the countryside, music full blast reeling away, and did not get stopped by the Alachua County cops. Yea, for me!
I stopped by Office Depot and bought Truett dry erase markers with an eraser and fluid to wipe his dry erase board clean. I felt good. Relaxed.
Finally, I reached the Gainesville Health Care Center. I felt good. Relaxed. I had said my prayer that today would be a good visit; and it was. When I arrived I looked in room 307A. The bed was made up, but Truett was not there. I hurried to the nurses station and asked, "Where is Truett George?" The nurses station said, "He's rolling around."
Oh, my word. What a relief. I thought he had died because of the pristine made-up bed. So then I searched for my husband. Sure enough, Truett had rolled himself down some hallway and was just sitting there looking at another man. I touched him on the shoulder, leaned over, and gave him a big fat kiss. "Take me to my room," he said. So I did.
While in Truett's room, he and I played Tic-Tac-Toe on his white board until lunch arrived. Truett liked the big eraser and the multi-colored markers for the white board. He won two games. The 'cat' won one game and I won none. You see, if I don't win and Truett doesn't win, then someone wins...the cat. No one loses in Tic-Tac-Toe.
Lunch was finally served. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and coconut pie. In the meantime maintenance came in Truett's room and said they needed to fix Truett's wheelchair arm. Evidentally, Truett did not like the tray that was attached to his wheelchair in order to keep him from getting out and falling; therefore, he ripped the tray off of the chair and damaged the wheelchair arm.
"You can't fix that now," I told maintenance. "Truett is eating lunch."
But I stood corrected. Maintenance lifted off the right arm of the chair and soon replaced it with another.
I watched Truett focus on his lunch. I watched patient 307-B falling asleep during his lunch; so I went over to B, tapped him on his shoulder and signed, 'eat'. Which he did. In the meantime, I noticed another resident across the hall unable to lift himself up in order to eat. So I signed, 'Do you need help?" He said yes. So I lifted this elderly gentleman up and placed his food tray in front of him.
Finally, Truett had finished lunch and I felt like I had done a couple of good deeds. I helped two other residents eat their lunch. I realized that Gainesville Health Care Center needs more employees, especially on floor three during lunch hour.
I even thought about volunteering during the lunch hour. . . but that takes a lot more thought on my part.
Lunch hour was special today.
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