8 months ago, we found a home for BC. Prior to that, he was living in the woods. The home was next to a lake where he could go fishing, his favorite activity! Things were finally coming together for him! He met a beautiful and kind lady and they were talking about getting married. It was wonderful seeing them both light up when they saw each other! We were excited that he was back on his feet, about to get married, and wanted to spend the next part of his life ministering to and praying for others. He joined our outreach and wanted to pay it forward, giving a hand up to anyone in need. He wanted to spread God’s word.
Over the last few months, his health started to decline. He went to church yesterday, but could not attend. He sat outside the church until it was over, never stepping foot inside the sanctuary. His stamina is not what it once was. He cannot walk far without taking a break to rest. After bringing him home, he realized he did not have his keys. He tried many different ways to get the door to open. Nothing worked. He was now out of energy. I went to get him something to eat as he had not eaten all day. I was hoping the food would give him the energy to figure out what to do next. He looked tired and his oxygen tanks were behind the door. The one he had taken to church was completely out.
When I came back, he was in his room hooked up to a machine that helps him breathe. I felt a relief. I knew his numbers would go back up as they had in the past. I left the food with him so that he could eat it when finished with his treatment.
I got a call a few hours later. He was having trouble talking. He asked me to call an ambulance for him. He was admitted to the hospital last night with shortness of breath and a fever. They are treating him for a MRSA infection. Several other labs came back and the numbers are not good. I have watched his health quickly deteriorate this past week. He has a speech impediment, so he is hard to understand by others. I spoke to the nurse and relayed, with his permission, what I witnessed over the past week. She started to fill me in with what was going on. She said they are stopping his antibiotics since he does not have an infection. I told her what I saw in the chart about the MRSA infection. She seemed shocked and looked at his chart. She went to get the doctor to let him know, and thanked me for the more detailed information as they could not understand him, so were relying on data from tests only and the initial call. I can only imagine how hard it is to not feel well – and not be able to effectively communicate how you are feeling with those around you who are there to assist and take care of you.
Healthcare advocacy is so important! I have had a front row to that recently. Several trips to doctors and hospitals and he is released because they don’t know what to do with him other than run tests and go off what the tests say – and with each visit, he gets worse. I’m so glad he put me on the phone with the nurse and was able to give her some areas of concerns that have been noticed and spoken by him. His voice is a very faint whisper now, and very hard to understand. She said when she walked in the room earlier, he was crying, and wished to speak with a chaplain.
When we first met BC, he was on the ride up the rollercoaster of life – and we were excited! Although he is on the downward decent, I know there will be a turn and he will go back up again – hopefully much stronger than before!