No Pictures With This Entry

Ok, so I know I'm beginning to sound like the weather-woman lately in my journal.  But I can't help it....  In the past few years, I've really begun to notice how the weather affects my mood.  And my mood often dictates what I write in my journal... Sometimes I feel that maybe I should just do a video entry with yours truly talking about the weather,  Oh what a sight!  Picture me, excitedly flailing my arms in front of a giant map while wearing an ill-fitting suit.  November has been an incredibly mild month.  Lot's of sun and temperatures into the mid 60's to low 70's.  Gorgeous, perfect.  

Well, almost.

With Indian summer making an unexpected appearance here in New England; one would think that my family would have been able to shake the illnesses that have been plaguing us.   Not to be.  Although Sammi's pneumonia has cleared, Mikey now sounds like Daffy Duck.  I'm giving his immune system one week to fight this thing on his own.   And if that wasn't bad enough....

There has been a 24-hour stomach virus going around at work.  This virus must be very potent, because residents and staff are dropping like flies.  Without being graphic, I fell victim to this bug while at work on Wednesday night.  I tried to stick out the shift because the other nurse wasn't feeling well either, but I finally had to jump ship around 4am. As I was leaving the building, three residents began simutaneously vomiting.  The poor girls who weren't sick, they were dry-heaving as they tried to clean up the foul smelling mess....  

Friday night I returned to work and thankfully it was a pretty quiet night.  I know I don't talk alot about my work, but I do love my job, most days.  In the 15 years I've been in nursing I have experienced many things.  Sometimes some things can't be explained :::insert twilight zone music:::: and I've come to accept that.  In my acceptance in embracing those moments, my faith has grown stronger, more resolute. 

Friday night, one of those things happened.  Elise, 105 years old was actively dying.  This wasn't unexpected, as her health had been declining over the past few months.  I always had a sort of connection with her, because she was French Canadian, like me.  She sounded just like many of my relatives.  Elise didn't have anyone to sit with her, her daughter is in her 80's and not in good health.  So the girls and I took turns going to her through-out the night.  Although non-responsive we wanted her to know she wasn't alone. 

On one of my last visits to her room, I noticed a very large black fly buzzing around her head.   I was bothered by this fly, did it sense that she was dying?  And where did it come from?  There are not many flies around in November.   It's very exsistence felt like an omen, that her death was near....  I left her room feeling uneasy.   We visited Elise a few times after that, the fly had disappeared.  Around 2:30am, the girls went outside to have a smoke.  I'm the only non-smoking night person.  As I sat at the desk doing paperwork, a white moth suddenly began to swoop around my head.  I tried to swat it away but as I did,  I had this incredible feeling of knowing that Elise had just died. 

                            Almost like a voice told me....almost. 

Immediately shivers ran up my arms, the hair on the back of my neck stood up.  Convinced that my imagination was just in over-drive I decided to take the long walk down the corridor to Elise's room.  Yes, surely it was just my imagination.  As I rounded the corner to her room, there Elise lay...dead.   Rest in peace, dear lady.

Coincidence?  Maybe.... but my faith once more grows stronger. 

 

Quote of the day: " I fear one day I'll meet God, he'll sneeze and I won't know what to say...."   ~~Ronnie Shakes