The Trucker

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

I walked in the front doors of our hospice still munching on a cookie.  There was a student social worker standing just inside of the front doors signing people in.  I told her that I was a volunteer and didn’t need to sign in.  That was the first time that that has happened. 

I walked around the corner and opened the door to the volunteer office.  I retrieved my badge and reviewed the patient board to find out who wanted visitors, or the ones who don’t.

After making some coffee in the break room for our guests, I walked down the hall to the downstairs nursing station.  They let me know that the baby that I rocked was still here.

 So, I went upstairs with the intention of spending some more time with him.  When I got to the room, I found out that the family was there already.  I was not disappointed, it’s always better for the family to be there instead of a volunteer just standing in the gap.

I turned around and left, happy that I was not needed there.  I walked down the hall was an elderly African-American man lying in bed, I walked in and introduced myself to him. 

I sat down next to him and asked him what he had done for a living.  He said that he was a truck driver.  He had driven a truck for forty-five years!

 In fact, he was working only just a week ago!  That is when he found out his ailment.  He went from healthy and working to a bed in a hospice in just a short week!

He brought up his forty-seven-year marriage to his wife.  They were marriage for a long time, but it had always had been a very stormy relationship.  It was such a bitter-sweet relationship that didn’t bring him any joy.

 After a brief scan of the room, I didn’t see any personal belongings around.  That’s a good indicator that he has not had any visitors.  He seemed very alone.

I was saved a little when the nurse walked in to give him some medication.  The break in the environment kind of lightened things up a bit.

When the nurse left the room, then Tony, our volunteer chaplain walked into the room.  Tony talked to him about the love of God.  He prayed with the man about eternity and God’s love that He showers on us. 

This trucker seemed very touched by the words of the chaplain.  I was glad to see that he was able to receive some comfort.  We all need a little compassion at the end of our lives!

We talked again for a few minutes until he started complaining that he was too hot.  It was probably a side affect to the medication that the nurse had given him.

He asked me to take some of the covers off of him, which I did.  It still was not enough, so I went to bring in his nurse again.

The nurse and the social worker came in and tuned up the air, and took some more covers off.  Because he was feeling uncomfortable, he asked me to leave. 

I left the room and went out to the back garden for a while.  This visit was a hard one for me!  It was a sad and scary visit for me.

 This man lived a full life yet no one seemed to care about him in his last days.  It was scary because his disease was killing him so fast!  I couldn’t help to think that the speed of his passing was the Grace of God!

Do you know someone who has had a long profession?  Can you tell me about it in the comments section?

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Brother Roop