"We are what we repeatedly do."

The Prize Winner (excellent)

Inspirational!
A true story about life in the 50's and a woman who entered contests to help support her family of 10 children. I love any movie that depicts life in the past, large families, writers, fiesty women and Julianne Moore (excellent) and Woody Harrelson (excellent, as always). Also, I loved the costumes (some of the dresses were from the woman's wardrobe that the movie was about) and the house.

The woman's attitude and positive determination was remarkable and said to be a realistic character trait.

The actors were great, the story great...I'd say "don't miss it".

Monsieur Ibrahim

Omar Shariff (excellent)

French with English subtitles (excellent)

Story about an elderly man and a young boy. When the time is right, wisdom and love is shared between strangers who become like family very quickly. Something I can understand very well.

"It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument"

On my way into this low income senior apartment building, through the broken glass front door and over the dirty hall carpet full of cigarette burns and holes I passed a few tenants that were either high or drunk. This is one of those times when I think of looking for other work.

I made my way around the corridor to the apartment. This was a step below ground level. The apartment was one large room with a sink at the end of the wall with a stove next to it. A small bathroom was on the other side of the room. Huge (I mean huge..like the size of a small car) windows opened in and were secured with rope on a metal bracket on the wall sort of like old school windows. I thought this was probably an old school building. The breeze was flowing softly through those windows as I skimmed all of the papers that were being lifted from their resting places. Most of it was music.

The room was cluttered but neat and orderly. It wasn't clean and fresh but there were no visible bugs and I felt myself relax ...just a little.

My new patient was emaciated. His face looked almost like a skeleton. His skin was black and shiny and clean. His hands were small and thin and weak. His sweater was way too big for him as were his Khaki pants.

There were two turn tables with records on them, one was a 45 and the other a 78. I love records. There was a stereo that was on but the patient turned it down very low to allow us a visit (most people do not do this and it is very annoying to try to communicate over very loud radio or TV shows, especially that most do not listen to anything good...lots of Jerry Springer fans out there). This patient had on a jazz station. He could have kept it a bit louder.
There was also a two keyboards, one on a stand. He plays, he says, now ...just a little.

We talked about his condition, his medications, his diet and the help he really needed. He told me he has a friend on the 4h floor and the janitor in the building helps him out a lot. He had a visiting nurse coming in each week to fill his medication box as he gets confused. He does go out to the doctor's office but yesterday had a hard time getting home. He is forgetful and confused. I told him how to use our van service to get back and forth to his appointments. He told me he had blood in his urine and was told by the doctor to go to the hospital. His blood pressure was a bit low. I instructed him in the hazards of hematuria. He is aware but concerned his check would be arriving on the 1st of the month and he had rent to pay and business to do. I promised to look in on him at the end of the week totally forgetting I was quitting this job for the million-th time in the past 6 years.

Mr Jones cannot really cook or remember how to get to the doctor's office. He had three kids, he thinks. He has no idea where they are or even their names! He has never really knew them.

He lives on $565.00 a month. He tries to live with pride and dignity. He tries to do for himself. He tries not to complain.

Mr. Jones still can play the piano but doesn't play as much as he'd like to play. He can fiddle a bit with the drums and a horn or two. He smiled when talking about music..just a little.

His diagnoses and lab results tell me that he had a life that wasn't always full of responsibility. He probably drank a lot and maybe abused drugs or sex since he is Hep +. He seems good, not bad, though. I hope it was all worth it to him...just a little.

Today was one of my patient's birthday. She is now 97!

When I wished her Happy Birthday, she said, "I don't even remember how old I am". "You are 97 years old", I said. Her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. She said "Oh". I kissed her cheek and she held my face next to her's.

Usually, she doesn't get out of her bed clothes. She wears slippers and robes and sweaters to keep her frail bones warm, even in 100 degree weather.

In the past month or so she has been getting dressed (a few days a week)in the morning. She usually wears a button down blouse and a sweater over an A-line skirt. We have the same taste in clothes! Most of my friends will believe that one!

Today she had on a black and white skirt that was soft and silky but not silk. I personally do not like any kind of real silk, even the expensive kind. It makes me sweat. Her white blouse was ironed and the covered buttons were secured all the way up to the top. There was an embroidered crest at the neckline. Her black knitted sweater stopped at her slim hips. The extra large off white pearl buttons contrasted with the black. She wore post wire pearl earrings and a black tam (hat). She always wears a hat to keep her extra warm. It was 80 degrees out today.

Her nephew who really isn't a relative at all is taking her out to dinner on South Street. He is a nice guy. He makes sure she is taken care of and has what she needs in the house even as he always seems preoccupied with other things. Gene lives in the suburbs with his wife. There are pictures of him as a much younger man around Eleanor's house. I ask her about all the pictures. She remembers bits and pieces. She told me Gene was a child her mother "took in" when he was a kid. Eleanor was an only child. She was grown and living with her mother when Gene arrived. He was a teenager. He was an abused kid who needed some love and attention. Gene grew up to be a professional. His wife is a teacher. They had one daughter who was also a teacher but died from leukemia in her 20's. Eleanor explains this is why Gene always seems preoccupied. He tries to keep busy and he and his wife try to put it all behind them. But now is the time they'd love the company of a grown adult child. A loved child. A wanted child. It is hard for them. Gene cares for Eleanor because he knows he should, she has no one else and because he wants to help her.

I am sure he realizes his life has had many blessings. Eleanor and her mother are a couple of those blessings. He keeps on trying.

I hope they enjoy their dinner. Eleanor has not been to a restaurant in years..last year she was too sick and weak to go out.

I know she loves animals. I wrote about her before when she was feeding a grasshopper that invaded her house. I once took my dog over there for a visit. She loved it. I wanted to get her a little turtle in a glass bowl to look at and be thrilled over but I could not find a small one and then I thought that was presumptuous of me. I brought her two dozen white roses that looked beautiful on a table by her french vestibule doors. She was thrilled and wanted me to come back tonight for a piece of homemade cake baked by a neighbor and her granddaughter. It had great big strawberries on it and white icing.

She is a person that makes everyone feel the good inside of them no matter how little of it lives there. She is sweet and kind and full of dignity and appreciation. She is black and I think she is Catholic. She still communicates with her church and her pastor brings her communion to her house. I've never heard her say a bad thing about anyone or anything.

I hope I am like that when I am 97! I really do.