"MISCHIEF"

“Ben”, an eighty year old widower with multiple medical problems, came onto hospice today as his health has taken a recent toll on him. Where once he was up and around, he is now wheelchair bound and spends the majority of his days in bed. Ben suffers from cardiac disease, lung disease, Parkinson‘s, diabetes and kidney disease. He is on continuous oxygen to help him breath. He gets short of breath very easily which limits his mobility.

The nurse and I went out this morning to open Ben up to hospice. He was sleeping during our visit, so the nurse and I sat with Ben’s daughter, “Mary” in the kitchen. Mary is the oldest of Ben’s eight children and has always had the role of caretaker. When Mary was twelve, her mother went back to work and Mary had to get her siblings up and ready for school. None of her siblings help out with dad’s care, even though six of them live nearby. It seems they still see Mary as the family caretaker.

Mary’s daughter and two grandsons moved in recently to help out. Mary says her daughter is her only support. Mary has had a lot of tragedy in her life. She is sixty-one and has suffered from two strokes as well as two heart attacks. The most recent was two months ago when she said she suffered a cardiac arrest. In addition, Mary’s ex-husband was murdered by a jealous ex-boyfriend of his then girlfriend.

Mary never complains as she is determined to care for her father no matter what. Mary will cry when talking about her siblings and how disappointed she is in all of them for their lack of support.

After all of the admission paperwork was signed, the nurse and I went in to check on Ben. He woke up easily and gave us a smile. He said he was doing fine. Mischief, his cat, was lying in the crook of his knee. Mischief meowed quite loudly when we all walked into the room.

Mary then shared the story of how Mischief will meow loudly into the baby monitor near the bed to warn her that her dad’s blood sugar is high. The nurse said that the cat likely is smelling the fruity scent of acetone on Ben’s breath, which is what happens when someone’s sugar runs high. Mischief also will go find Mary and meow loudly at her when Ben is ready to get up.

I was amazed by Mischief and also amazed by Mary and her determination to care for her father in spite of all the odds against her. Both are incredible.



“MISCHIEF”


Hello, my name is Mischief.
I am a brownish tabby cat.
I am sixteen years old
and have a very important job to do.

I live with “Papa” as some call him.
Others say “Dad” or “Grandpa”.
I just know he is slowing down
and he needs me around.

He stays in bed a lot now.
I sleep in the crook of his knee.
It is comfortable and warm there,
but I am always on alert.

Sometimes he is not okay.
I have to be around just in case.
When I get a whiff of something sweet,
then I know I must be quick.

There is this box next to his bed.
I heard her call it a baby monitor.
I know when I meow loud into that box
she will quickly come.

She then picks me up and pets me.
She thanks me for letting her know.
She relies on me to protect him.
so I’ll continue to remain alert.

I answer to the name of “Mischief”
and I have an important job to do.



.