"Jane Of All Trades"

In my last posting I mentioned that I worked 11 hour days. I was not a career women but I just had several jobs every day, five days a week. My first job at the Senior's Center began with just vacuuming the hallways, cleaning the bathrooms & the communal lounge, and lastly, the laundry rooms. It began as 3 days a week for 4 hours. Then, I was giving a name, "The Singing Vacuum Lady" because I always sang during this boring task and those hallways were loooong hallways so I had to keep my thoughts in a positive space. It got so that whenever I came on shift, the seniors would open the doors to their suites so that they could listen more clearly. They couldn't tell if I was off key most of the time because a lot of them wore hearing aids so I wasn't afraid of making warbles off key...0:) Soon, it got to the point where my 4 hour shift became 6 hours (and not being paid for the extra 2 hours but I didn't care), because about 5 or 6 of the seniors would come to the door and have a little chat that they promised wouldn't hold me up too long...after two cookies and a cup of tea and listening to them reminesce of days gone by I decided that I would begin visiting them on my own time. I soon got to know them all and ,praisingly, I remembered names & history, hurts and children's names. Some had family and some had no family, while others had family that did not visit. They were lonely people and I was a people person so it was a wonderful ministry.

I spoke to my boss and asked if she would consider taking me on for more hours so that these people could receive more attention. I had been asked by my boss on several occassion to watch over this lady or go in to make toast for that one, etc. so, when the Homemakers went on strike about 10 of our seniors were desperate because it was winter and they were not able to walk and their homemakers would drive them or shop for them. I became the main shopper for these people while the strike lasted. I did it after my shift was over though. I loved helping these beautiful people. I had never know my Grandparents so I was in a little bit of Heaven on Earth. My Boss decided that she would take it to the Board of Directors.They accepted readily with..."Give her what she wants as long as she keeps the people happy!"

Monday's were always really busy at work. There would be line ups down the hallways with seniors poking their heads out...

"There you are dear. I have been waiting. I haven't been able to get my earrings on all weekend. Could you put them in for me?"...from yet another...
"I bought a jar of sweet pickles on Friday and I wasn't able to have one because I can't open the jar. Would you open it for me?"

Then there was the shocking time when a certain, sweet gentleman, 80 years old asked me in, promptly took his teeth out and asked, "Is that a gum boil in there?"

Hee Hee...yes, I loved them. Each were very unique in their own very special way. Soon I was working 5 days a week for 6 hours. Then, I was hired by one of the retired Board of Directors to clean their home once a week. Mr. H. wanted me to help out because he wanted his wife to relax a little more. It was a very large house. I was with them about 6 months when Mrs. H became ill with cancer. The family hired me to become her caregiver as well as Mr. H because he had triple by-pass and was very ill. He always said he would die way before his wife but she passed away 3 months later. His daughter & I became very close through this time. I was experienced with bed-side vigils because of my Mom's illness of 3 months and finally dying in my arms. She had cancer as did Mrs. H. I became Mr. H.'s Private Caregiver from late morning to dinner time. I went directly to him after my shift was over at the Center.

There had been a tragedy at the Center enough to hire round the clock Security. After a year was up and looking at the cost my Boss asked me if I was up to doing some Security work at night from 11 pm to 1 am. She said that they were not expecting anymore trouble but it would make the seniors feel more secure if they knew someone was out their watching over them. She said that the people loved me and trusted me and it would help them. I took it on. I loved it! Sometimes I was jolted with fear when something came up...like Mr. Bear!...but, there was something about being outside by yourself when nothing is moving, all is quiet, and you can soak in prayer. I always felt so brand new after night shift. I was never tired the next day even though I noticed changes in my body. Things were becoming more difficult to lift, or bend, but, I ignored them.

So far, I cleaned, was a Caregiver, Security, I even became quite handy with certain tools. I took over the Office for my Boss when she was away for 2 weeks holiday. I worked off and on as a Caterer, I was also a Matron at our RCMP Station (but I only lasted a few months on that because it was too frightening & painful seeing what came in and out. It was actually one prisoner that placed the fear of satan in me and I never returned.) I was a single Mom...and a wanna-be-writer! I interacted with many different types of people and they have impacted my life beautifully. Even when there was pain I learned so much more than just "capable of doing odd jobs". I learned about myself and how I really am with people. I came to realize that I am more real now than I ever was in my whole life. I have learned to laugh. I have learned to see the lighter side of things. I have even seen that even during a tragic experience or loss, there definately is a rainbow with your name on it that will soon be in your sights and close enough that you will be able to reach out and touch the incredibly beautiful smoothness of this promise that God has sent you.

In my next post I will share some experiences of some humorous encounters with "my people"at the Center. (The Board of Directors used this term about my relationship with the Seniors...0:) ) For now may your every footstep be forward and not backward. A very, very, good friend always reminds me "Look Up, Not Down. Look Forward, Not back" What wise words!

Bless you today, tomorrow...& always