Mathoms, etc.

Before I left for work this morning, I read this on Doreen Virtue's FB page:

"Today, as your Valentine's gift to yourself, please notice examples of the many ways that Love appears, such as a mother cuddling her baby; someone offering help to a stranger; or a person giving a comforting word or hug.

Love takes many forms, and the Universe is seeking to give and send you Love every moment. As you allow yourself to notice and receive this Love, your heart becomes more open and receptive to this magnificent experience and energy.

You are loveable and you are loved. You are never alone. God and the angels love you unconditionally, for who you are right now. 2012 is YOUR year to call in and experience more Love. Say: "I Love You" to yourself daily. Say: "I Love You" to your soulmate frequently, even if you haven't yet met him/her yet. Treat yourself with Love in all ways, because you deserve Love and you ARE deeply and dearly Loved."

I left work early to go to a neurology appointment. As I sat in the waiting room, I noticed a man with his wife in a wheelchair.  The wife kept fidgeting, and the husband kept yelling at her. Then she asked to go to the bathroom. He admonished her again, saying that he told her to go earlier. When a doctor came out to call another patient, she asked him if that was her doctor. He irritably told her 'no'.

There was a teenager sulking with her parents. "I just want to leave!". The mom continued reading her magazine, while the dad napped.  When the doctor came out, the parents asked to speak with him privately first, which left the daughter in an even fouler mood. Finally, she couldn't take it any longer and marched herself into the office.

A home health aide held an elderly woman as she walked unsteadily.  The caregiver was very patient because the woman clearly had memory issues, asking the same questions over and over again. She didn't remember that the aide was there at her home to make sure she's safe and doesn't fall down. The woman asked her son if she ruined his day by bringing her to this appointment. He said no. They were going to the opera tonight, so she wanted to know what she should wear. She suggested to her home health aide that she watch operas.  Then she asked if the gifts were all set up. The son told her there's no occasion for gift-giving. She thought it was Christmas, and was told by her son that she was in the hospital for Christmas.  She asked him if it was bad. He said yes. She apologized that he had to come and see her in the hospital during Christmas.  I could barely keep myself from crying over this conversation. Thank goodness they finally got called in to the exam room.

Another family came. Two sisters and their mother. One of the daughters wanted to read aloud the questions in the usual paperwork, but the mom insisted on doing it by herself.  She went over her mother's answers, and noticed a few things she should have answered differently. The daughter calmly told her mother to make sure the doctor knows about any medication side effects she's having.

A couple came in. They both had gait deviations, but the man was the patient. The woman had some cognitive deficits, but again, he was cheerfully explaining everything that was happening.

A staff member came to say hello to a patient and her family.  The patient also had memory problems so she had to re-introduce herself to remind her that they had met before.  It just made me think about healthcare personnel, doctors (especially neurologists) who have to deal with patients like these.  Within an hour and a half, I got to see a spectrum of emotions, variations of love and human relationships. I really could be a little kinder, nicer, gentler.