Chapel

I was walking today through Lake View cemetery (a very beautiful place in Cleveland, OH). I usually love walking in parks, but something about 50+ weather, gorgeous colors made it even more beautiful. As I went through the Garfield memorial ( the 20th president was buried in Cleveland) I stumbled upon Wade Chapel. As I walked into this marvelous piece of art and worship, I made a contact with the gatekeeper. He looked vaguely familiar. A couple of seconds later I realized that he was my person that I talked to when we visited assisted living facility for community clinicals. He was 90 year old man in perfect health for his age. He told me about his life, what he did when he was younger, about his children. He also told me that he was about to go pick his wife up from a manor to go out for dinner. She wasn't doing very well. There he was keeping watch on this great monument, Sunday afternoon. I wonder how many times he has sat down there when he was alone and asked God for healing for his wife. Asking Him, if there is anything to do to alleviate her pain. I guess I'll never know.

I smiled to him, but did not say anything else. With HIPPA laws I wasn't sure what the correct behavior would have been, but just in case I didn't say anything. It seemed like he rememebred me as well, but did not say anything.

As I walking back, I took a mental picture of a man walking towards the chapel, praying for all of us, guarding what makes us, us.

Darina

Hope and faith

I had my clinicals on Wednesday. I guess I should explain that I work on Women's Health Oncology Unit. Most women are there with Ovarian+ types of cancers. Some of them are over 70 years of age, some of them just let their kids go to junior high. Cancer gets ahold of you no matter if you're 80 or 20.

Back to the patient. She was a carling lady, who was just admitted to the hospital for a suspicious pelvic mass. She has a history of ovarian cancer. I had alone time with her in the morning before all her children showed up with their spouses, asking for extra chairs to be put into the room. Right before she went in for a surgery, I stopped by to check up on her. As I glanced over the door, I saw them standing together in a circle... praying. I almost melted! What a wonderful thing to see. She had all her family there to support her, to wait for her in the lounge, to offer her extra pillows, and water when she needed it. She became stronger because of them, she left the room smiling because of them. God gave her people who love her. Not everyone gets this amazing support system, who are there with you through thick and thin. What a privilege! Let us thank God for families and friends in our lives, after all, who are we without them?

DM