January 2020 Humanity's Team Newsletter

Within five days of my hip repair, I was transferred from the hospital to a specialty hospital to focus on physical therapy. This particular care facility (specialty hospital) is a half block away from the local one. It serves as a nursing home for the elderly, for mentally ill residents, a physical rehab center, an occupational rehab center, long-term care for other maladies such as paralyzation and brain injuries. Until my walking, standing and lifting muscles heal, I fall into the short-term/physical rehab category--an activity I will likely remember until the end of time.

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Now, where was I? Oh, that’s right, helicopters. Suddenly I became keenly and acutely aware of helicopters landing and/or taking off every ½ hour or so once I was at the specialty hospital. The helicopter helipad on the neighboring hospital roof blared and “whomped” in an acute and percussive fashion.

For over 40 years I’ve lived in Carriage, Colorado, a relatively small town, and the number of these “flights for life” helicopters carrying many injured or ill people surprised me. I now hear every helicopter as it takes off or lands. ...helicopters were out of sight and out of mind before. I’ve gone back in time making the habit of crossing myself--a quick blessing to send good thoughts to the injured and the ill.

Back to giving and receiving from patients at the specialty hospital… Sean sought help for Benji, a very overweight individual, so he wouldn’t miss his ride to the dialysis clinic; Carolyn often comforted Greg, an elderly gentleman who couldn’t sort out how he ended up in this specialty hospital and why he couldn’t remember ever arriving. Carolyn often took her fingertips and rubbed small circles on his temples to calm him down.

More on Benji… Essentially, he is a 50-years-old boy. He has a type of diabetes where he can’t feel full from eating. Consequently he takes food from other’s plates and hears chastizing from the staff and the fellow patients that he needs to stop eating.

One quiet and late evening 90-year-old Rose passed away. By simply sitting near me, she used to help me with my panic attacks and I helped her with hers; mostly I would massage her small and soft hands. I cried when I found out about her death, and I realized at the same time she was no longer struggling or moaning in despair.

A couple of days later, Benji proudly rolled along in his brand new extra wide wheelchair down one of the building’s long hallways... right in front of me. This makes passing Benji impossible. I became patient and still and all ears as Benji sang out loud and in perfect pitch. Here are the words I heard~

Amazing Grace,
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind but now I see
Was Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

I wept from a swift and simple elation, an angelic voice, and Benji’s happiness with the whole of the universe.

Maybe we should all reflect and allow for the apportioning of thoughts, those that make differences in our Lives and the Lives of Others... like our sharing helicopters or reading or roses or moments of Amazing Graces.

By Nannette Kennedy