New Nurses (Diane)

Great news, everyone! Remember the nurses who visited us in October? Well, Simmoune and Kaitlyn became regulars, along with their head nurse Karen...and they've been bringing in new nurses each week! Best Day would also like to thank Emiliana, Isabel, Danielle, and Giulia for coming to visit; we hope you'll become regulars too! Today, we're sharing a story from older bud Diane in honor of our nurses:

Diane Richardson

10.12.2021

Alzheimer’s Clinic

For years I worked for Bayada Nurses, an agency that assigns Medical Professionals to clinics in hospitals for temporary staffing. I would do vitals (take vital signs), assisted the physicians in exams, give injections, do phlebotomy (draw blood), EKG’s etc. The assignment could last one day if someone called out, one week or two if someone was going on vacation, or if someone left or retired it could be indefinite.
I’ve worked at H.U.P., C.H.O.P., Presbyterian, Methodist, even at Penn Towers. I’m often offered a permanent position, but not interested. Working for an agency, you make your own schedule. Mine was no weekends, no holidays, no Mondays, no work from X-mas to New Years. No summer months (unless they offer extra pay). When I turned down assignments, I would collect unemployment.
My husband was an automotive engineer. So, I worked not out of necessity but to do what I like or enjoyed doing. I went to school when I entered my thirties for a registered medical technician and signed with the agency which is the largest medical staffing agency in the country.
So, getting to my story. I was on assignment at H.U.P. Geriatric Clinic at 36th and Chestnut. As the Alzheimer’s clinic let out, a patient learning the clinic told me he left his hat. I asked what room he was in, and he said, “I forgot.”

If you want to transcribe for Best Day, then email us at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org. You can also share our older buds' adventures by donating to Best Day, subscribing to our newsletter, sending a note to our older buds, or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And if you or the older buds worked as doctors or nurses then you or they can submit stories through our portal right here. We're especially interested to stories from Black older buds, but we're always looking for stories from older buds of color, older buds with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ older buds, older buds of any gender or sex, older buds of any religion, and older buds who just plain break the mold.

And don't forget to maintain contact with the older buds in your life. If you can't be there in person, please call them, email them, or message them on social media. And if they're using teleconferencing or remote events for the first time, give them a call and help them set things up. Check in on them to see how well they're getting used to these programs. Buy them a computer or an internet package if they don't have one of their own. It's a human right, after all.

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Nurses in the House (José and Eleanor)

Remember last month when the two nurses Simmoune and Kaitlyn came to Best Day and wrote a few stories. Well, they brought friends this week! Two more coworkers and their head nurse, and I heard they do their own medical themed Story Slams at Jefferson Hospital. Maybe we could do a crossover event, or we could all go to The Moth together? 

It was great to see them back, and touching to hear them share stories of their work in the field. Many of them were about love and loss, and we want to get them transcribed as soon as possible. In the meantime, here are a few more stories from a few of our older buds about love and loss:

José Dominguez

11.01.2021

Alex and his Tribulation

At the age of 15 circumstances took us, Alexander and me, to meet at Chihuahua City. Both coincided at the Instituto Regional from Chihuahua at the third secondary grade. My father didn’t want me to study at our border city because there were no educational opportunities such as he desired for me and Alex was ejected from the capital city of Mexico since he was a precocious boy that wanted to get married at an early edge. In those days I had the tendency to meet all those students that came from out of town because in a way we shared the same destiny, meaning no family around and no parents in the vicinity. That's why we shared the all year in the same grade. Alex and I split at the end of the school year since he was again preparing to get married now with Carolina his new girlfriend; his father, a prosperous journalist and magazine owner decided to send him to London. Our lives developed independently but several times we met mostly in Mexico City, El Paso Texas, and Houston, and in a way, our friendship continued regardless of our lack of coexistence. Today at 77 years of age we interlace our lives speaking about the possibility to meet again one of these days. His wife, Mireille is 100% disabled. Even when I didn’t send him lots of emails, I keep him informed of my way of life and share with him the images so I have sent him lots of photos of Philly, of the parks I like, museums, the senior Center, the Moth contest at the World Cafe, my family, the Italian Market, etc. Suddenly two weeks ago he didn't respond to my emails, I didn’t dramatize his lack of answers since a long time ago decided not to interpret as offensive the silence and lack of comments or lack of response to any of my contacts. But suddenly I received an email that I will translate:
Hi!
I even have not answered you due to the current sad condition that my family and I are experiencing these days!!!
After 25 years of irreversible physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental decay, hopelessly the end of life is very near to Mireille!!!
I’m devastated!!
We have lived together for 60 years
I met her 60 years ago.....
When I recover a little emotional calm I will call you
In any case, when the inevitable event arrives I will notify you....
A friendly Hug,
Alex

My thoughts flew towards Mireille remembering her as a charming lady always welcoming me at her home always with a smile. So I responded
I am very sorry to hear the sad news about the ordeal that you and your family are living and it is explicable since Mireille always has been a great woman and a great person
Alex just answered:
Thanks

Eleanor Kazdan

11.07.2021

A Sad Week, Part 1

Death came to two friends this past week. Brenda and Loretta. Brenda was a beautiful, vibrant forty-four -year old. I met her when she was working as an acupuncturist at my son Adrian’s wellness studio. One day I saw that Brenda was offering a group hair sparkling session at the studio. I had no idea what that was, but thought it might be a fun activity to do with my daughter and daughter-in-law. Brenda expertly wove multi colored strands of silk into our hair. I became a fan of this fun way to spruce up my hair. I started going to Brenda every few months, sometimes with friends. Brenda was so cute, open and charming. She knew how to get to the heart of life. In no time at all she seemed like a best friend during our sessions. Her hair was curlier than mine and she wore it long and wild. After a time Brenda left Adrian’s wellness center and opened her own practice on the 24th floor of a medical building. Waiting for her to finish with an acupuncture client I would sip herbal tea and look out the window at a panoramic city view.
Soon after I started going to her she told me some devastating news. She had been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. It was hard to believe that a young woman, so full of life and spirit had such a terrible illness. As the years went by Brenda still looked great, and her cancer was controlled by medication. She became a spokesperson for the organization “Living with Breast Cancer” and they made several short films about her cancer journey. I kept hoping that Brenda would be one of those miraculous long-term survivors. But about two months ago things took a terrible turn. The cancer had spread to every part of Brenda’s lovely body. Before things got dire, she underwent whole-brain radiation and chemotherapy. She lost her gorgeous hair. Her spirit was undaunted, though. I saw social media photos of Brenda in matching head wraps and long dangling earrings. And photos of Brenda out for lunch with her devoted sister Natalie. The disease won, though. We got the news that she had passed away. A moving, sad, and still joyous celebration of life was held. I still hear Brenda’s musical voice and feel her warm presence.
To be continued.

If you want to transcribe for Best Day, then email us at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org. You can also share our older buds' adventures by donating to Best Day, subscribing to our newsletter, sending a note to our older buds, or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And if you or the older buds worked as doctors or nurses then you or they can submit stories through our portal right here. We're especially interested to stories from Black older buds, but we're always looking for stories from older buds of color, older buds with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ older buds, older buds of any gender or sex, older buds of any religion, and older buds who just plain break the mold.

 

And don't forget to maintain contact with the older buds in your life. If you can't be there in person, please call them, email them, or message them on social media. And if they're using teleconferencing or remote events for the first time, give them a call and help them set things up. Check in on them to see how well they're getting used to these programs. Buy them a computer or an internet package if they don't have one of their own. It's a human right, after all.

Curated by Caitlin Cieri

Día de Muertos (Eleanor, Jewel, and José)

Día de Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead, ran from October 31st to November 2nd this year. This has given me the opportunity to create separate posts for Halloween and Día de Muertos, so I can highlight both holidays. They both take place during late October, but the Day of the Dead is explicitly about honoring our deceased relatives, loved ones, and ancestors. Last Tuesday, José told me about his Día de Muertos celebration, including telling his granddaughter Sofia the story of how he'd met her grandmother Maria. Today's blog post is all about our older buds' experiences with Día de Muertos.

Eleanor Kazdan

10/29/2020

Día de los Muertos

When we were in Mexico, we were there in February, I tried to book a reservation for Dia de los Muertos with some friends of ours and every hotel in Oaxaca was booked solid, 6 months in advance. So now I could go but, yeah.

Jewel Grace

10/17/2019

The Day of the Dead 

I like the Day of the Dead, a Mexican-based festival honoring the ancestors with music, dance, and fancy altars. I used to attend the festival at U of P Archaeological Museum. There, we made sugar skulls (and ate them), listened and saw music and dancing, All Souls Day style. There was this vendors table from which I have purchased a backpack, a mobile, and lots of earrings. I'm skipping the festival this year. I have plenty of jewelry and a vivid memory of the festivities. My house is decorated in Day of the Dead signs and decor, as well as a pumpkin on the door and a skeleton on the stairs. Even though I have no children, I enjoy Day of the Dead and Halloween as well. Maybe I'll prepare a festive dinner. Anyone game?

José Dominguez

10/24/2019

A Meaning of Dia de Los Muertos To Me

I have a lot of things to celebrate here in the US and added to that, the Mexican holidays. The positive thing is that celebrations are something I enjoy, but what to celebrate of Dia de Los Muertos? It had no sense for me, even when I did a lot of trips in Mexico to the cemetery to take flowers to my dear father, relatives, and friends. I never understood how my deaths were going to enjoy my flowers and my presence in the cemetery. The same goes for the confection of altars that are a strong tradition that motivates the ornamentation of house altars with flowers, candies, candles, pictures, sugar skulls, food, and religious paraphernalia. But last year, my feeling about the celebration changed. Poncho, my son, put two tables in the living room, covered them with a lace tablecloth. He arranged to put several levels so it looked like the steps of a stair. In each step, he put photos of our family deaths including one of Maria, my dear wife who passed away 2 years ago and several photos of dead people of Sasha's family. All the space was covered by flowers, candles, and the usual. The big difference was when it was the second before dinner, Sasha (daughter-in-law) lighted the candles and turned off the lights, she invited us to make a semicircle around the altar and took Sophia (my granddaughter) into her arms. She explained to her how we are a family thanks to those who died and took care of us, and how they are not dead, but are alive in our hearts. Sofia smiled and said: Thank you grandma, Maria. I love you and you are with me in my head.

If you want to transcribe for Best Day, then email us at info@bestdayofmylifesofar.org. You can also share our older buds' adventures by donating to Best Day, subscribing to our newsletter, sending a note to our older buds, or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And if you or the older buds have Halloween and Mischief Night, then you or they can submit stories through our portal right here. We're especially interested to stories from Black older buds, but we're always looking for stories from older buds of color, older buds with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ older buds, older buds of any gender or sex, older buds of any religion, and older buds who just plain break the mold.

And don't forget to maintain contact with the older buds in your life. If you can't be there in person, please call them, email them, or message them on social media. And if they're using teleconferencing or remote events for the first time, give them a call and help them set things up. Check in on them to see how well they're getting used to these programs. Buy them a computer or an internet package if they don't have one of their own. It's a human right, after all.

Curated by Caitlin Cieri