Heard from a childhood friend today.

[TNNurse]

We were good in elementary school, walked to school together. As we got older, her very conservative religion (Christian) resulted in just drifting apart. There was no big event or anything, we just lost commonality. She got married the summer after high school, so she has been married 54 years. He was a minister and a few years older than her. We reconnected on FB, saw each other at our 50th high school reunion. She never took issue with my FB posts and I respected hers which were mostly family and church related. Sometimes she was really funny.

So this week her husband was admitted to the hospital with congestive heart failure and kidney failure. It is shut down to visitors. Today he was put in hospice. I sent my concerns to her and asked if she could be with him now that he is in hospice. Her answer was no because she has COVID.

My first reaction was a string of really terrible words which I cannot say to this kind conservative woman. She cannot be with him. She cannot make him any sicker but of course she does not need to be around the staff.


Damn everyone who has made this drag out longer and spread to more people.

As I have said before, I grew up going to church. I really never believed in a literal Hell. Now, I sincerely hope there is a place people go to so they suffer for eternity for what they have done to others.

[Kaleva]

1. Last year, several I know visited their loved ones at a LTC faciality by being outside their window

[TNNurse]

3. Yes, I went to sing Happy Birthday to friend's brother because we could not go inside.

They man is in a hospital, very few have first floor rooms.

[mopinko]

2. people dying alone

is something that has so gotten under my skin.
i was a hospice volunteer before the plague. it's something i believe in as much as i believe in anything.
i know what it's like in that room when there is someone there to talk to, and when there isnt.

i've been so lucky. only 1 person in my family has died. i dont think anyone has even caught it.
but i've never wished harder for a quick death if it's my time.
imma go scream into the void now. brb.

[orleans]

4. ...

[Skittles]

6. I am curious

am I the only person who doesn't want to die while people watch me? I admit I have always been somewhat of a loner.

[TNNurse]

7. Not even one person who knows you???

As a nurse, I have been at the bedside of many deaths. Rarely was the person dying aware, but it seems the right thing to do. Going in and finding a person dead in a bed is pretty tough.

[spooky3]

8. Thank you for being there. Nt

[Skittles]

9. I guess it's just me

the idea of someone sitting there watching gives me the creeps - dying or not

[Kali]

10. no you are not the only one

good family friend didn't want anyone there and by god he pulled it off too. me personally I don't want to see other people sad, so I don't care if they want to be there but have some fucking humor please. I have no problem being there if a dying person wants me there.

[Skittles]

12. well if it ever comes to that I will make my wishes known

yes indeed

[Midnight Writer]

14. I'm with you. Also a loner, I don't want to deal with other people while going through the process.

I'd prefer a relaxed atmosphere where I can pass peacefully, hopefully pain free in a comfortable bed.

[Skittles]

17. you got it

that would be me - I do NOT want to be "surrounded" - HELL no

[Evolve Dammit]

15. No. Not even sure about immediate family, although they would want to.

[dixiechiken1]

11. My mom passed last November because of COVID...

Her 4 children weren't able to see or comfort her in the hospital, where she spent the last 12 days of her life. I am beyond angry that I couldn't hold her hand or comfort her in any way. I am so incredibly pissed off that she died with no one but strangers by her side. Now, that being said...

I THANK GOD every day for those compassionate "strangers", who risked their health & their lives working in the COVID ward, who cared for her up until her last breath. I am so grateful for these angels on earth. Because of them, my mom didn't die completely alone.

So thank you, mopinko, for being a hospice volunteer. It takes a very strong - and very compassionate - person to do so. I'm sure you provided a great deal of comfort to a lot of patients and their families. You are an angel on earth. ❤

[Evolve Dammit]

16. well said.

[mopinko]

18. bah.

i got so much more out of it than i put in.
i started after my divorce. it filled quite a void.

[Evolve Dammit]

13. thanks

[d_r]

5. I do wish

They could be held accountable.