so one of my clients at work died of catastrophic kidney failure last night. so it's 4:30 in the morning and i'm up thinking about everything. i can't sleep. i had worked with this person for almost 10 years and all of a sudden over the weekend he got sick and by the time he got to the hospital he was septic.

the worst part was calling all of my staff last night to tell them that he wouldn't make it through the night.

ugh, what a crazy last couple of days. anyway i'm just bored here trying not to think about it all. it's really early and probably nobody's around but oh well.

what kind of work are you doing?

i supervise a group home of 3 people (now 2) that just need a little help.

my best friend has got a similar job. she and her team are watching one of their clients die right now. she says, they're just waiting for his organs to give up on him, and there's nothing they can do about it. damn, i really don't know, what to say to her, whenever she talks about it, it makes me so sad. i've got a lot of respect for people in your profession, i wouldn't be able to cope with all that.

Aww, what a shame. Ten years is a long time to have such intimate contact with someone, so it is understandable you'd be feeling bad. How old a man was he? Was he healthy before this happened?

Whoa! Back the story up! NOW it's getting interesting...

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Aww >:[

*big hug for sombra*

sombra, how are you?

thanks guys.

i'm okay. everything happened so quickly and suddenly. over the course of a weekend death just came for him. it was his time. i'm sad because i'll miss him, but he's been saying for years things like, "i want to die and see my mom," or "i want to die so god can get me a new body." etc...

so, it's kinda difficult to "talk" about it right now but i'll keep ya'll updated.

Condolences. And empathy. My ex was the intake social worker for a somewhat reknowned home for the aged in San Francisco. Many in our circle of aquaintances were in their nineties and, among those, many -- and their adult children -- had dealt with my ex for years, preparing for their eventual residency there. Periodically, she'd come in from work and say something like, "We won't be having anymore dinners with Al." (Or Sonja, or Ilsa, or Robert, and so on.) That, and the expression her face, were all I needed to know to understand not to be too demanding of her time for the next few days. She always took their passing hard and spent the first day or two afterwards painting. My place during the time was to be around but to leave her alone until she felt like talking. For me, it always added new dimensions of meaning to the phrase, "here today, gone tomorrow." Caused me to be a little more appreciative of things.

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Speak less. Say more.

Ahh, Sombra I'm sorry hun! Things like that are really hard! You hang in there and if you need us we are here for you!

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If you can't handle the thorns, don't crave the rose!!

death is usually a big surprize to anyone. it's never expected. now imagine, would you rather know when it's your time to expire or would you rather just let time take its course?

raverboy

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...this is just my perspective on the situation...

That is sad. Sorry Miso. Go easy on yourself next little while.

Ouch. I am having kidney problems, that scares the hell out of me.

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Kocham Śmierć bo tylko ona na mnie czeka.

damndamndamn. my friend just called me – her client died tonight. what can i do for her right now? i've cancelled all work for today in case she needs someone to talk to – she's still at his house and doesn't know when she'll return. but what shall i say? i'm so fu**ing helpless in situations like that. instead of saying anything that might be of any use i only start to cry myself when i see someone i love sad.