A BRIDGE

 

We received a hospice referral for “Jeremy” late yesterday afternoon.  Jeremy had many questions about hospice support and wanted information from us to make sure if it was an agency that could give him the help he needed.  I called Jeremy this morning to educate him on hospice support, criteria and philosophy. 

Jeremy has been on kidney dialysis for four years.  Prior to his dialysis, he had been living his life his way without any health problems.  Jeremy had been married five years to his wife whom Jeremy shared was “psychotic”.  She had been on several medications; one being Lithium.  Jeremy stated that she started to hoard the medication.  One night she made a lithium cocktail and gave it to Jeremy to drink. 

It was then that his kidneys failed and he needed dialysis to survive.  Jeremy added that his entire family, who live on the East Coast, “abandoned me because of my illness.”  He said they all have problems that they are unwilling to face.  It sounded a little bizarre, but then….. 

Jeremy is aware that he only has a few weeks or so to live without dialysis.  He is not afraid.  He is finished with this life.  He has beliefs about afterlife, but then has some fears about the unknown of it all. 

Jeremy shared a lot of these surprising stories about his life.  His body language and words were spoken from his heart.  The only person he had any strong emotion about was his ex-wife as he blames her for his kidney failure.  Through our entire visit, Jeremy spoke his truth from his heart.  

Jeremy touched my heart so deeply.  Yes, I am aware of his astonishing stories, but he moved me by sharing his truth; his sincerity.  Perhaps part, or all of this, may not be true.   Jeremy was speaking in the only way he knew in order to cope with his reality.  I wish him the best.

A BRIDGE

 

I spoke with him on the phone this morning.

He had questions about hospice support.

He spoke his truth no matter what.

I would have bought any bridge he had for sale.

 

He informed his physician yesterday

about stopping his kidney dialysis.

He’s had kidney failure for four years.

He is done; so wanting it to be over.

 

“I am sick and tired of all of this.

I don’t want to be attached

to a machine any longer.

I am worn out; I am done.”

 

His life dramatically changed four years ago

when she maliciously gave him a lithium cocktail.

His kidneys failed; he could no longer work.

He was then only forty-one years of age.

 

We met him early this afternoon.

His honesty; his truth just shined.

His face expressed dreadful pain.

He’s been living with it these past four years.

 

He told us stories about his life.

How he was wronged by his family; by his friends.

Unexpected stories; how could they be true?

But then; his heart and his humanity

beautifully shown through.

 

He is an individual; like us all.

This is how he copes; how he lives his life.

He touched my heart and my soul so deeply.

But then; where is that bridge

         you have for sale?