Some More Fiction

Thought you'd like to hear  some more stories about my job. 

Let's say there was a lady that either sits in a chair outside her room or walks circles around the building umpteen times a day.  Whenever I see her, we have this conversation:

Emma*: I need to ask you something.
Me: Okay!
Emma: You got kids?
Me: Yup.
Emma: REALLY? How many?
Me: Four
Emma: Omigosh!!  What are they?
Me: 3 boys and 1 girl.
Emma:  Will you bring them in to see me?
Me: Yes, someday.

And, the hilarious thing is, she is so genuinely thrilled and in shock when I say I have four kids. The joy and wonder in her face makes me almost excited as well that I have four kids. 
Literally, less than five minutes can pass and we will have the exact conversation again.
I'm thinking about shaking things up and telling her I have 15 kids, but that seems mean.


There are many residents there that are on hospice care. Meaning, they are dying. Well, aren't they all, but, some are expected to die a lot sooner than others.
One new resident was told this week she has 6 months.  She is very, very depressed. And angry.  It is very hard to go in her room, being unable to really "help" her the way she needs. 
The activities director passed out a questionnaire about teddy bears. "Did you have a teddy bear? What was it's name? How long did you have it? Etc." 
This lady filled hers out and it told about how she never had a teddy bear. She had always wanted one but her mom wanted her to have dolls. That's all she got, dolls. And, not the cute soft kind but wooden ones, she said.

Tonight, as I tucked Josie in to bed, I told her the sad story of the lady with no bear.  She suggested we go to Walmart and buy her a bear. And, I think that's a brilliant plan. Every girl should have at least one teddy bear, don't you think?