Last Friday morning I got a curious call from the homemaker of one of our elderly members --94-years-old-elderly. She could easily be the woman in Gary Crawford's pastel piece to illustrate the phrase "we are not alone" in the New Creed. Normally I don't answer the phone but office staff were otherwise engaged and I entered into a rather confusing exchange about our Mary. In the end I established she was in distress, wanted to go to the hospital and wouldn't call 911, and that the homemaker wasn't allowed to take her.
Whaddya do? I zipped down to her home and took her to emerg. She was pretty shaky but seemed amused just the same that the minister was her chauffeur. After I wheeled her in she insisted that family would come soon, and encouraged me to leave because she would be okay. Except that they didn't come, and in the afternoon first Lynn, then Jenny, our tag team pastoral care pinchhitters (Beth is in Florida) spent hours with her at the hospital. They saw her through tests that quite honestly it was better to have a woman around to address.
Eventually a family member arrived and Mary spent a couple of days in hospital. Today I saw her at home and she expressed her gratitude for the attention from both Lynn and Jenny, including follow-up. This was important if seemingly mundane pastoral care and without this blog no one would know. Beth will return soon but I really appreciate the work these two have done in her absence.
Thoughts?
Good on you, man .... and good on them for being there most of the time, too.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope if/when I'm 94, that someone would pinch hit for me in similar circumstances.
I'll be there Ian !
ReplyDeleteAll three of you are amazing and I am sure Mary and her family are in full agreement and there is nothing mundane about how you were there for her on Friday and afterwards...very important work.
ReplyDeleteJenny and Lynn did the "heavy lifting" (not literally!) on this one. The fortitude of some of our elderly folk is remarkable.
ReplyDeleteOur family has benefitted so from this fabulous duo, (and their fearless leader) this winter.
ReplyDeleteThe depth of care and response has overwhelmed us. It is so nice to be able to "lean a little" and be "propped up" during trying times, and St Paul's, the whole congregation, I mean, plays a huge role in pastoral care. Bless you all, as you have blessed us!