Mrs. Dunkin #22

This is a continuing story.  To see the rest click here. 

22

In the morning as soon as I opened my eyes and I could see my medicine and a glass of water sitting on the table.  As I started to get up, I could feel the sheet was wet.”

Just then Cheryl entered my room.  

“I just came in to see if you needed anything Annie?”

“No” I said with trepidation.

“Are you all right?  Is something wrong?”

“Yes, my bedding is all wet.  I’m so embarrassed.”

“Don’t be.  You go and get cleaned up and I’ll change your bedding.”

“Please, please, don’t tell anyone that this happened.  I would be so ashamed.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

I grabbed my clothes and headed into the bathroom.  I decided to take a shower.  When I was done, I put my clothes on, went out and the bedding was changed.  Thank goodness, Cheryl was gone.  I don’t think I could have faced her. 

I closed the door to my room and grabbed my journal and sat at the table.   I started to write…

The most terrible thing happened today.  I wet the bed.  I must be getting worse.  Could my disease be progressing faster? 

I heard a knock at my door.  I quickly closed the journal and went and opened the door.  It was Clara.

“Is everything okay, Annie?  I see you had your door closed.”

“Yes, everything’s fine.  How are you today?”

“I’m good.  I thought maybe you’d like to go down for breakfast and then we could go outside for a while.”

“Sure, sounds good to me.  We’ll have to check on the weather.  Let me get my sweater.”

We went down to the day-room and it was starting to fill up with the other residents. 

From the next table we heard “Good morning girlies.”

“Good morning, Fred” we both said.

“Clara, what do you know about the ladies club here?  Do you belong?”

“I did for a while but it became kind of a clique, so I stopped.  Are you thinking of joining it?”

“Yes, I was but now I’m not so sure.”

“If you join, I will too again.  I’ve got some things I’d like to bring up.”

“Shelia was supposed to leave a note with the receptionist so hopefully, I will hear something soon.  I’ll just tell them you will be rejoining too.”

Cheryl brought our lunches to us and I didn’t even look up at her.  Clara busily talked to me while we ate but to tell you the truth I didn’t hear a word she said.  I just couldn’t concentrate.  When we were done eating they took our trays. 

Clara said “I’m going to go and talk to Kate about going outside” and off she went.

She came back a few minutes later and said “Kate said we can go out but not now.  The aides have to get everyone cleaned up.  She said probably about 3:00 would be good.”

"That’s fine with me.  I’m a little tired anyhow.  I’m going to go back to my room and lay down for a bit.”

“I forgot to ask.  How was your dinner out with your daughter?”

“It was fun.  I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Are you sure you’re okay Annie?”

“Yes, just tired.  Come and get me when it’s time.”

I went back to my room and lay on the bed.  After a while I heard someone come in my room.   I quickly closed my eyes and heard “Annie” but I pretended to be sleeping.  It was Cheryl but she left when I didn’t respond.  Eventually, I did fall asleep.

“Annie, I hate to wake you but we can go outside now.”

“Okay, Clara.  Let me go to the bathroom and I’ll meet you by the doors.”

When I finally got to the doors there were a lot of residents waiting there.

Clara said “Some others wanted to join us, I hope you don’t mind.”

“That will be fine.  I can push anyone if they need help.”

From the side I heard a very weak voice say “help me.”

I looked and it was a woman that I had seen a couple of times sitting by the nurses’ station, in only what I could describe as a laying down wheelchair. 

I went to her and said “Sure, my name is Annie, what’s yours?”

“My name is Gladys.  Thank you.”  

There were six of us.   I pushed Gladys and Cheryl helped Clara with her wheelchair.  The others went with their walkers.  

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