Rising To The Occasion

A good friend spent six months caring for her dying husband.  She lifted him and supported him although he outweighed her by 40 pounds.  She cleaned his shit and his vomit and never complained.  I told her how much I admired her and expressed what I thought was my inability to ever do what she did.  She answered that she just did what she had to do.  I still thought it was great and something I could never handle.

This week I found out she was exactly right and our bodies do what needs to be done.  I learned to lift and after initial gagging, I learned to wipe butt and clean the uncleanable.  It still is something I would rather not do, but I rose to the occasion.  I've always respected the aides and health care workers that do this for a living, but after doing it myself my admiration has grown immensely.  These people are over worked and way under paid.  I remember hearing recently about a bill to raise their wages and the argument that people will not be able to afford them.  I don't know how we cannot pay these people, or anyone else for that matter, a living wage.  These are the people that care for our loved ones in the most intimate manner possible.  I will be employing one of these individuals soon.  Not paying properly is criminal.