6/15/2010: Today was my first day at my new job, and it was great. The job consists of going to an elderly person's house and being a "companion caregiver." So today I met Dorothy, "Dottie" and learned about what is going on in her life- she lived on her own for years, until suffering a heart attack about a year ago, then moved in with her daughter and son-in-law. I talked with her, watched some TV with her, helped her with the shower, made lunch, and talked some more with her. When i go back on Thursday I'm going to see if she would like to go for a walk or get her nails done (the last caregiver would go with her to do their nails). It was so different from Rita's, even down to the little things- I got to wear normal clothes (only requirements are sneakers and no shorts/tank tops), got to relax for the day and was not running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and I didn't have to deal with mean people. It is unbelievable how many mean, unhappy people come to Rita's... I just want to tell them to put a smile on their face or else they are not getting ice cream. I mean come on, how can you be sad while eating ice cream.
The only negative thing that comes out of the new job is how much I think of my own grandparents. My maternal grandmother passed away in February of 2003 and my grandfather in summer of 2004. I was never close with my grandfather, as my mom would say, he was a "Fuck-Head." He was abusive, manipulative, and had other major problems. I was never close to my grandmother because I didn't see her often (she lived in long island and didn't drive). I regret how little I saw her and how little I appreciated her. I wish she stayed around and took care of me like my mom wanted while she went back to work (she was making great money with great benefits, my grandmother never worked), but she wanted to move away from my grandfather. They got separated just before I was born, but never actually divorced, which screwed up the wills when each passed away and caused huge problems within the siblings. My paternal side was a little different, I never met my paternal grandfather, he passed away when my father was 3 years old from Lung Cancer (he was in his late 30's/early 40's). My paternal grandmother never remarried. I Lived with her and my parents from the day I was born to the day she passed away. She was diagnosed with Lung Cancer in the fall of 2000 and passed away Christmas of 2003. She was like my third parent. It hurts knowing she wasn't able to be at my high school graduation, she won't be at my college graduation, or wedding, or see a grandchild. (she did see her first grandchild, but she was so drugged on medication she couldn't remember names and accused people of weird things, and actually got kinda mean). Any time I see someone being a brat to a grandparent I just want to kick their butts for not appreciating their elders while they still have them in their lives.
So if you are reading this,
make sure you show those around you that you love them and appreciate them while you still have them.
