Monday, April 30, 2012

* Mr. Ed .............

I think it was May of last year when I began my 1st day with Mr.Ed. I Had met he and his wife at church and was very happy to be his Care-Giver. My duties were to get him up each day, Bathe and dress him, get his breakfast, meds and etc..usually while they ate breakfast I would do the house cleaning, laundry and get lunch ready..In the beginning months Ed could get around and help me out with getting dress, we had our little routine every morning, he never liked getting up I think he would have stayed in bed all day, but once I got him dressed as we went through the bedroom to the kitchen we would stop at his dresser and get his wallet, keys, Handkerchief, chapstick and his change, I would always ask him...how much money do you have Mr. Ed?... and he would say 2 dimes, a nickel and a quarter and he had to have everything in just the right place...every button on his shirt had to be button, his belt had to be just right,, he was the best dressed little man I know that was just going to sit in his recliner for most of the day and oh yes, his hair had to be perfect.
I would take him to his appointments and he was always that sweet little daddy/grand-dad every daughter would have loved. I took care of him like he was my very own dad realizing someday that just might be my dad.
Each day was a new day with Mr. Ed...Some days we talked about his fishing all night or that he was so very tired because he had played Basketball all night. What I learned most about this awful disease is that you just never knew, he could tell me everyone by name on TV, love to talk about the Dr's he worked with at SBJ and his years of playing Basketball.

As the year  progressed so did the disease taking My sweet Mr. Ed , he slowing stopped helping me out, stopped telling me his stories until he was just not with us anymore, he was just Mr. Ed locked up in a worn out little body. I experienced a roller coaster of high and lows in such a short time. I watched a loving sweet wife that refused to give up on her Husband that in reality she lost long before I ever came into the picture. I helped them out 12 hours a week ...meaning that she was his caregiver for the other 156 hrs..leaving her a short 12 hours a week to do her errands and what ever she needed to do while I was there.

I have since my share of death in many forms...some taken quickly...some slowing....some before there were time for goodbyes. Each day I left the Jeter's I would always tell Ed Goodbye and I love you because I knew in the back of my mind he might be gone{his mind} the next time I came back. I thank the Lord for my time with Ed, he taught me that yes there is all kinds of death and I have seen 1st hand many kinds but to be locked up in a body one day knowing and the next moment gone that life is not to be taken for granted.  Each day I left him, I left feeling like anything I was going through was nothing compared to his daily torment of being locked up in your body with no control and at the mercy of others.

As I came home from the office tonight I got a text from Mrs. Jeter saying Mr. Ed was no longer locked up in his chains....Somewhere around 6pm God took him home and out of that worn out earthly body...His Chains are Gone!!!!!  I know we as Christians have many roads to travel and the "not knowing" has to be one of the worst for me, we just have to be ready... but I thank the Lord for this journey in my life with Mr. Ed... As a mom you can handle many things with your babies as a caregiver but it does take a lot to be a caregiver for adults.. In the very 1st days he was very hard to coach into letting me bathe and dress him, and I would always say" now Mr. Ed ..it's just skin and we all have it and he would always reply with a laugh and say Okay then....I would joke with Ed almost every morning as I washed his feet that one day he would have to wash mine like the disciples did in the Bible  and he would just laugh and say "you have pretty pink toes. It's was a humbling experience and I'm so blessed to have taken this journey with him. The memories made with Ed will always be with me, there were days when I knew he was gone and he was a little ill with me,he would always say " I'm sorry" and I would just kiss his head and say it;s okay Mr. Ed...because I knew it was not the Ed we all knew and Loved...

My heart is full tonight for Mrs. Jean, for the many years she has had Ed even though for the most part in the end he was already gone, she is now alone. I pray that she will find peace in knowing he is no longer suffering and has a new body and mind.  I know 1st hand she was a loving and devoted wife that went above and beyond for Mr. Ed.... I pray for her and her new journey without her beloved Ed.

Words will never express the love I have felt working with the Jeter's and the blessings I have received.

I love you both!!!! and will miss "my little man"......



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1 comment:

Melanie said...

Taking a quick break from studying and read this. You made me cry. This is such a sweet memory of Mr. Ed. They were both blessed to have you help them.
Love you!

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