Stories from Caregivers: Gabriel from NEW YORK
NY
Gabriel
FROM NEW YORK
In Feb 1988, I was comfortably ensconced in the highest position achievable without managements help. On 2/12/98 my wife frances, suffered a stroke leaving her with permanent hemiparesis. This forced me to retire so that i could care for her. It became her destiny to suffer thru many physical agonies until the time of her death on1/12/12. She was to suffer sequentially; bladder failure requiring a urinary diversion to an external stoma with collection bag, kidney failure requiring 3x a week hemodialysis until the time of her dearth, and left hip fracture. During this time of suffering she was so handicapped as to require transport services, some I provided. In conformance with qualification requirements we were able to get 24/7 sleep in home attendant without which I could not have managed. However, there were several hospital and nursing home stays. It was during these times that I became painfully aware of the inadequate and unjust government provisions for the care of elderly and handicapped. The taxes collected from the middle and upper classes go to provide for nursing home stays, however, should they need this care they must either pauperize themselves or pay for it out of packet but the indigent don't have to. When a loved one needs specialized care it should be available to all taxpayers without additional cost burdens. During this time of great duress I cared for my wife as needed to include care of her stoma, feeding her. Bathing, wound care, transporting, supplies, hospital bed, glucose monitoring and many medical conferences. I spent every day with her to try and make her life bearable but in the end i lost the angel that god lent me for 60 years.
