Feb 10, 2010 • First of all I want to thank Etta for inviting me to post here on this “blog.” I think it’s wonderful what you young people are able to accomplish with computers and technology. The kids at the library have been teaching me so much when I go in on volunteer days, and I tell Ida May about it and she just sort of chuckles at it all. She has problems trying to set the degree of doneness on the toaster, so you can imagine what all this talk about weblogs and email and “Flickr” sounds like to her!
Anyway, I, for one, am at an utter loss about the Orosco woman. In case you haven’t heard, she was found dead outside her home yesterday. They say the cause of her demise was exposure. Now, while that’s simply a horrible way to pass on, it makes me wonder if we really aren’t the “Town that doesn’t care right.” Should we put more funding into the weather stations and libraries to educate people not to stay outside so long when the weather’s howling like it has been? Because that’s honestly the only thing I can think of that would prevent this sort of situation from happening. Obviously that poor woman was not educated about the cold.
I am sure you all know that I am on the board at the Library and we would be happy to discuss how to allocate funding to buy better books on meteorology and the like. Just say the word.
C’mon now, meeliesue. There’s no reason that should’ve happened to Bev. Wasn’t anybody checking on her?
If the town budget hadn’t been eviscerated by the Mayor last year, there would be actual funds to “allocate” but I’m real curious where you expect to get that money these days. We’ve got more pressing need than weather books.
Bev had no family to look after her, and the health aide nurse never showed up that day. It’s a horrible tragedy.
Meelie, you do astonish me often but here’s a surprise for you: you got a point. We all know Bev’s marbles were not so sharp anymore, she ain’t showed up act the actual day and time of her appointment here at the salon for at least a year. But she sure as heaven still new what season it was. If she had a cell phone? She might’ve been there when my funeral comes rollin’ around.
Of course it’s a tragedy, but as Etta rightly points out, nobody’s going to mistake winter for summer right now. And Lucas honey, what should we do, go door to door to say “Howdy!” every day to each and every Deepwell citizen? Don’t you have enough to worry about with your own precious angels to take care of? Ida May and I spend hours every day taking care of our foster kitties alone. How are we supposed to look after our own business as well as that of everyone in town, for goodness’ sake?
So her nurse didn’t show up? Sadly, it doesn’t surprise me. We had all sorts of problems with the nurses that were helping us when Julia was sick. I had to learn how to change an IV bag and reload her pump myself for when they cancelled or postponed a visit.
Did this lady not have ANY neighbors? Would it be too much to ask for a neighbor to have checked on her? Or maybe invited her over to stay for a while till the cold weather passed?
Honestly, would you people leave a 3 year old alone in that kind of cold?
You must care for the elderly in your community as you would a child…. if you know that someone isn’t competent enough to care for themselves, then it’s your DUTY as a human to do what you can for them.
Years ago, having a “neighborhood watch” was a big thing all across the country. This was mainly to watch for strangers, criminal activity, and to watch over houses of neighbors they knew were on vacation. One place extended it to checking in on shutins and handicapped neighbors. That saved them from the fate of my relative’s father-in-law. He had a heart attack, died sometime thereafter, and was not discover for a few weeks. It was the utility company that caused the investigation because he had used so little water.
[...] lived another lifetime in its span. I don’t feel like the same person who wrote that first blog post about Bev Orosco. Because I have learned so much from all of [...]