Makes Us Stop & Think

[fishpieface]

Yesterday I started the day feeling in the kind of mood where I didn't want

to do anything, let alone go to work to take loads of elderly folk to a party.

I must stress that the actual job was irrelevant, it was a horrid day and I

was having a very rare moment where I didn't want to go and drive a coach.

What a different to my mood that afternoon made.  It took almost two hours

to pick them all up as some of them were so elderly and really struggled with

getting in and out of the coach.  Some got to the step and said they couldn't

do it and I said, "Yes you can, I'll help you, give it a try", and they did.  We went

to a local forest centre where they'd turned the visitor centre into a dining

room, along with a fantastic entertainer, they (and I) had fish & chips, the

hosts (Rotary and volunteers) were so lovely.   One of the organisers had

a funny turn and we had to get an ambulance, but they checked him over

and he was able to stay and enjoy what was going on, I'd been able to

help with first aid and running to bottom of lane to guide ambulance.

Some of the elderly folk who were almost giving up when I picked them

up were later doing the conga, albeit the slowest conga I'd ever seen,

the okey-cokey etc and having a whale of a time.  Then we had the getting

in and out of the coach all over again, but the thing most evident to me was

the difference on their faces having had such a lovely afternoon.  Loads of

them apologised for being slow, unsteady etc.

I felt quite humbled and thankful for what I have and that I was able to

be there to drive them, and to help them and give them time when most

are only able to go out very few times a year and live in nursing homes.

The Rotary people are amazing, what they do for others.  I came home

hugely more positive than when I went out.  All that fiddling about and

manoeuvering the coach in the pitch dark, I'd do it all over again anytime

for them!

[chickengrandma-2008]

Aw fishie, what a lovely story.  It certainly makes you stop and think, doesn't it.  Those sorts of job are almost as rewarding to you as to the people you take out to have a good time, aren't they.  Leaking eyes again now!!!

[**streety**]

Lovely to read.
That really does confim the saying 'Seize the day' doesn't it?  🙂

[merc1_clocks]

Ach fishie, you've a grand heart in you

[ed_blackadder_1]

It just goes to show there is always someone worse off than yourself no matter how you feel, and to do something nice is usually very rewarding,

Good on you Fishy and I am glad you had a lovely day in the end. Lovely tale.

[stan3502]

Sounds like you all had a wonderful day Fishy and I know how much the oldies will have appreciated their day out xx

[barefoot.biker]

Aw fishy thank-you for sharing that

Beautifuly put.

[cookiecookuk]

that is a wonderful story fishie.

all elderly were brought up in an era where they show genuine gratitude and respect and thanks and anything you do for them even the simplest of things.like if one of our residents has a birthday i will make and decorate a cake for the and the show of happiness on there faces is a joy to behold.

i think that all people who work with the elderly in any way are in  very privileged possition.

We are always told at work that that if it were not for the elderly we would all be out of a job and to respect them all.

we should all be blessed to work with such a wonderful group of people.

[rose2008-2008]

Fishy your a MARVEL and with a BIG HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Lovely story Bless You.

[captainbovine]

aye, you're a grand one fishy...you made a lot of people's day for them taking them to a lovely party and bringing them home. You do a very important job. Bless you for being so caring. It's true about the elderly...you see them every day and mainly just go by so wrapped up in your own world, but I see a lot of them in my job and if I watch them I begin to wonder what they were like when they were younger.

I have known an old man who was a special officer during the war being parachuted into Germany and helping to rescue people!!!!! and to see this  little bent old gentleman who still had an eye for the ladies,you wouldn't think he'd done a job like that.

[stampingpat]

Thanks for sharing your day with us all Fishy. xxxx

[fishpieface]

Thanks people and yes, I think I got at least as much out of it as they did.

True Captain, what you say about what they may have been and done in their younger

days.  One lady who'd struggled with the coach steps but managed with help, she

was later dancing beautifully, proper music hall type dancing.  She had such a sparkle

in her eyes and said to me she'd won prizes for dancing years ago, when her husband

was alive.  She said she hadn't danced like that for a long while and didn't realise she

still could!  I said "You'll be leaping on and off the coach now", and she managed that

much easier going home.

Another lady, very small lady but with a lovely smile, came out of her nursing home

with her carer.  Her eyes lit up, she said, "oooh, a proper coach, I haven't been on a

coach for such along time and I love going on coaches!"  She was so determined to

get in and as she went back into her home she said, "I've had such a wonderful time

and the coach ride was lovely"!

Little things that we take for granted.

One sad thing though, there was a lady who uses a wheelchair in one of the homes.

Apparently she dearly wanted to come but they said she couldn't 'cos of the chair and

having to get her on the coach and they hadn't got enough carers to mind her because

somebody hadn't turned up.  According to one of the organisers she was really upset.

I wish I could have taken her.