As a charge nurse working second shift in a nursing home you never know what kind of a surprise you're going to get. I'm going to tell you about a shock I recently had while at work and a loving resident that I will never forget. I came in extra as alot of us nurses do on my night off one Tuesday night. I was down my hall in which I have long term care residents passing HS meds when one of my residents (let's call her Susie just to give her a name, not her real name) said to me, "Nurse, I'm starving". Being the type of person I am I went and thickened her up a coke (which if you've ever thickened soda before you know it's tricky) and got her some goldfish crakers. I got a tray table for Susie and she sat by my medcart in her wheelchair and proceded to eat her little HS snack and then she looked up at me and stated, "These are delicious, so cheesy, and crunchy, and you can't have any!" Mind you Susie has dementia and is always spealing off silly comments such as, "This is crazy", "Where am I" and my personal favorite ( she has 3 daughters) she'd ask, "Does my family know I'm here?" and the correct response would be "Yes, Susie, they all know you're here" and she would be appeased. So I laugh at her comment and say " Susie, I would never want any of your snack, I brought those just for you." and she smiled at me. Well the night went on and the CNAs took her to bed and I went home and then came in the next night. Things weren't the same with Susie. She was vomiting and her abdomen was firm and distended and I sent her out to the ER. All the while she's saying, " I'm fine, I'm not sick" and " I don't need to go to the hospital." Her daughter that lives nearby had been called and wanted her to go so she was sent to the ER. The next day I come into work to the most horrid news. My Susie was coming back into the Hospice unit with 3-5 days to live due to advanced cancer that had spread throughout her abdomen. I was so stunned I had to sit down. I went and saw Susie in the Hospice Unit and her three lovely daughters all hugged me and thanked me for all the loving care I had given their mother and we shared all our funny Susie stories. She died within 5 days and I truly miss my funny Susie. But it's a lesson on life that no matter what, don't take your time with friends and loved ones for granted because they can be eating crackers with you one day and terminal the next. Live each and every day to it's fullest.

Name: Rebecca
City: Vestal
State: NY