Monday, February 14, 2005

V Day - Not About Romance

I started working for a new client this last weekend. This 71 year old woman has several tumors in her brain and one in her shoulder. She is not expected to live much longer. The Doctors have given her approximately two weeks to live. She is very coherent. She can see, hear, speak and even feed herself. She is alrmingly skinny though, skin and bones.

She has been watching some of her favorite movies for the last time. Sunday, she choose to watch "Moulin Rouge". I remembered it to be one that I enjoyed after watching it for the second time. Some how, I managed to forget that Nicole Kidman dies at the end. Her husband wanted me to keep her company and watch the movie with her. Some how, I managed to forget that Nicole Kidman dies at the end. There's nothing like watching a movie about someone dying while sitting next to someone who is dying.

She rarely eats anything sweet, like the brownies that someone brought over or the chocolates she was given. I think if I knew I was dying I would OD on Chocolate. Death by Chocolate, all the way for me. Today, being Valentines Day, I came close to doing just that.

I bought what I would have liked to have received today by a Valentine of my own, then gave them to other people. I got the I Love Lucy edition box of chocolates and some long stem pink and peach roses. I gave the chocolates to my parents and the roses to the lady I cared for today and over the weekend, plus another lady that just moved into an assisted living arrangement, who I helped get settled in last week.

I liked what the card said that I gave to my new friend today. I said something to the effect of, "Valentines Day isn't about romance. It's about the hugs and kisses you share and the love you give and the things you do. But mostly it's about being the wonderful person you are."

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