Today was Emily's second last therapy session. Emily signed on the NOMNC (Notice Of Medicare Non Coverage) form. I joked with Emily if she was going to miss me. She said, "yes and No. It is sad to see you go but I won't have to exercise again."
I remember my first session when Emily told me that she doesn't like to exercise. I told her that she would love to exercise with me, because I exercise too. And she did confess at at the end of first session that she did love it. I loved to connect with the human being in all my patients. It helps me to provide analogies to our exercises in terms they are familiar with and it has ranged from teacher to scientist, mathmatician to musician, Drummer to Singer.
We would talk about Emily's upcoming 95th birthday. She was reassessed her birthday week by PT Laura. When I went back to continue our treatment sessions I asked her about her birthday, she told me how she missed her oldest son who left for heavenly abode, some odd 12 years ago. I then quickly changed subject to walking one extra lap today and how her elemnetary students must have loved her. Emily used to teach at elementary school. She smiled again and walked an extra lap of 12 feet that day.
So on arrival today I noticed beautiful yellow flowers on the succulent on Bay window of the living room. Gloria the aid told me that the plant is 'Leaf of Life' and in Jamaican culture they boil the leaves in water and believe that drinking that water makes one healthy. She asked me if I would like to take a small branch to propagate and later plant in my house and I said yes. She cut a small young branch and gifted it to me.
At the end of our session Emily signed on the form acknowledging the impending discharge. As I approached the door, one glance back at Emily and I went back to her. I bowed down in front of her and asked her for her blessings. She said she doesn't know how to bless but wished me to be always happy and held my hand a tad bit longer with unsaid emotions. Her face did shine extra bright with years of life experience (so I thought) and pure love. It is amazing how we have endless supply of love, despite giving it freely to everyone.
Four hours, and two more patients later, and after picking up my order of my daughter's favorite Alphonso Mangoes, I was at Huntington station to pick my daughter. ten more minutes for her train to arrive and I thought I can quickly finish a note or two from today's sessions and I received a call from Gloria. She had to repeat everything she said because I did not understand what she meant. twenty minutes ago Emily had breathed her last breath. When Gloria asked her if she wanted her dinner, Emily said that Suzie(me) had given her the dinner. Gloria told her that Suzie gave you exercise, not dinner to which she said she still didn't want any. And she passed away. She left for onward journey. She may be re incarnated, or stay forever with the stars and freed from the cycle of life and birth, the life goes on. I will propagate the Leaf of the Life Plant and remember this day forever,
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