Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Meals on Wheels Saves Lives

Today Cheeks and I had a uniquely remarkable experience. In November she and I started volunteering with Meals on Wheels. I felt Heavenly Father wanted to use our last year together doing something more meaningful than her watching me exercise and having an extra playdate per week. So we started driving meals to home-bound senior citizens. I wanted Cheeks to play a significant part in our service and I'm pretty sure she is the best part of our delivery.

In our training, we were told that if the person doesn't answer the door we should try to open it and make sure everything is ok. Today I learned why.

We have a client on our route who is an extremely sweet woman, adores Cheeks and is very grateful for any service she receives. She, however, recently had surgery on her back and moves very slowly; so for her to take a while to answer the door is normal. Today we knocked several times, I also tried calling her - but there was no answer. I decided to try the door, assuming it would be locked. It wasn't and when I called in she answered that she was in deed home and I could come in.

I found her in her bathroom. She was lying on the ground wedged in between the toilet and the shower. She said she had been there for almost two days, having fell Monday night and unable to move, eat, take medication, or anything else since. She was mortally ashamed at the state I found her in and wanted help, but didn't want people to see her as she was. I promised that no one would be judging her and that I would not be leaving until she was off the ground. Sadly, I was unaware of the gravity of her situation. I had planned on calling our church's missionaries (the same boys who I had called to help her with her lawn) to help her get up. Thankfully, instead I called the Meals on Wheels office who had more of the presence of mind to call 911.

The paramedics who arrived understood, more than me, the help she desperately needed and helped her into their ambulance to be taken immediately to the hospital.

I am so thankful I didn't leave with a note on her door saying "Sorry we missed you." I am so thankful that in my daughter's prayer tonight she included a plea to her Heavenly Father that Miss Kathy's doctors would know how to help her feel better. And I am so thankful for the service that Meals on Wheels provides - that today, quite literally, saved this woman's life. I am forever changed by the my experience today and so thankful I got to play my small part in helping this sweet woman.

If you are looking for a service opportunity for yourself or for you and your children, please consider this very important option.

Side note - Cheeks' new ambition in life is to one day get old and have meals delivered to her.

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