We've Gone Public!

[Spem in alium]

Last night I had the great opportunity to present my testimony on journal writing to a group of children preparing for First Communion and their families. My superior asked me to help her out (she is the Sacramental Coordinator for this particular parish) and I had a great time working with and being with her.

And a discernment retreat for women is in the works! Scheduled for just under 3 weeks' time. I have been put in charge of leading our time of Adoration. Please pray for us and for the young women who will be attending. The situation here is often very difficult - usually it is the same people coming to our retreats, and sometimes we have very low numbers (for example, before I entered I came to a retreat run by my Sisters where I and another woman were the only participants due to others cancelling). 

[Spem in alium]

Had to laugh...I was given a referral to see a specialist, but he doesn't even treat the kind of problem I have!  but also 

Pretty big news here: in about five weeks, I'm moving to another convent (a few suburbs away) for two months as part of my "postulancy experience". I've been living with these sisters for a year and a half now, so my formator would like me to experience another dynamic of community living. She'll be away during that time, so I'll have another sister from this house act as my superior. A few sisters have asked me if I'm scared or nervous...to be honest, not at all. It's really exciting. These sisters are my sisters, Jesus is present in their house, and I feel that when I am with my sisters, and Jesus is there, I can make home anywhere. And I can't wait to see how I'll be challenged and what I'll learn. First, though...to pack!

There was a traumatic death the other day in our dementia wing. A lady sat down to eat lunch, and she all of a sudden turned white and died. It was really confronting for the staff. Now our aged care is in lockdown thanks to a suspected flu outbreak. I went to work yesterday and the minute I stepped in there I got sent straight home! Please pray for this deceased lady, our ill residents, and any staff affected by her death or by illness.

 

[Spem in alium]

Something that moved me. Maybe you'd also like it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPeltA1xm3M

[Spem in alium]

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I have a significant medical appointment, and Thursday I'm giving a conference presentation on my research to university faculty. Please keep me in your prayer!

[Spem in alium]

Yesterday I visited my sister in CCU, coronary intensive care (she had a mild heart attack and doctors found she also has a growth on her uterus, so she is waiting for the oncologist's report to determine if it's malignant or not). She is 77 and has vision problems (she's going blind), and I help her with some of her basic needs while at home and also often have dinner with her -- so I do miss her a bit. She's pretty miserable. Due to her vision, she can't read or watch TV so is just sitting most of the time. My superior has been amazing in visiting her twice daily and another sister comes every evening, but yesterday she had no one all day until the evening so I think was a bit lonely (she was falling asleep and we were leaving, and she asked us to stay for 25 more minutes until visiting hours were over). She likes flowers so I took her a bright bunch. She also has foot pain which was making her a bit restless, but she was still hospitable as usual -- she kept apologising to me for not entertaining me well  And she mentioned that she also hasn't received Jesus in Holy Communion (I believe since the time she's been there, so six days), so I am taking Him with me as I go tonight.

Please pray for her, and that sisters from our house will visit her -- my superior is at a conference all week next week, so will not be able to see her and was telling me she hoped more sisters would spend time with her. I just figured that if I were in her situation, having a sister (who becomes family, really) visiting me would be the highlight of my day. 

I have also had a bit of a stressful week with my health. Please pray for me.

[Nunsuch]

Definitely keeping you both in prayer. Is it possible for her to get audiobooks? There are subscription services, but also free ones for the blind, at least in the US. I would be surprised if there weren't something similar in Australia.  And public libraries usually have books on CD.

[Spem in alium]

8 hours ago, Nunsuch said:

Definitely keeping you both in prayer. Is it possible for her to get audiobooks? There are subscription services, but also free ones for the blind, at least in the US. I would be surprised if there weren't something similar in Australia.  And public libraries usually have books on CD.

She still really has trouble accepting her blindness, and I think she's been really hesitant to use audiobooks because of that, though she has listened to a couple. But I can ask her. Thank you so much for your prayer.

[Antigonos]

I see Nunsuch beat me to suggesting audiobooks, a tremendous resource.  Also, if an arrangement can be made for her to have access to the internet -- there is likely wi-fi in the hospital -- via an iPad, or tablet, there are a host of internet radio stations that she could listen to with earphones

[Spem in alium]

13 hours ago, Antigonos said:

I see Nunsuch beat me to suggesting audiobooks, a tremendous resource.  Also, if an arrangement can be made for her to have access to the internet -- there is likely wi-fi in the hospital -- via an iPad, or tablet, there are a host of internet radio stations that she could listen to with earphones

That's a good idea also. I don't know that she could use a tablet or iPad on her own, though, as she can't see the screen. Thanks Antigonos!  

My superior is away part of this week so won't be visiting Sister. I'm hoping to be able to visit on the days she will be away. 

We have a big football (rugby, not soccer) match coming up on Wednesday. It's between my state and another state and is a huge competition which gets everyone excited. Sister goes for the opposing side (she lived in this other state for 14 years before moving here this year). When I visited her last night she asked me to bring her her team scarf as she wanted to wear it and watch the game. Hopefully she will have company for that. 

 

 

 

[Spem in alium]

Last night (Monday) we had a birthday celebration for four sisters in my community (two celebrate today, and two celebrated last week).

not to brag, but I was super sneaky yesterday. My superior's birthday is today and I usually give her a gift for celebrations as I still have my own money (and because I want to). I decided I would get some flowers delivered to her, but I didn't want her to know they were from me (mystery, and also I didn't want to make a fuss). So I wrote on the card but left it unsigned. Well, they arrived yesterday and are beautiful. Sisters were saying that they liked them and I played along: "Oh, they're beautiful, I wonder from whom they're from, etc."  When my superior opened the card on them, she said she liked the message but didn't know who to thank. Muahaha! She will never know!!  

[Spem in alium]

I visited my sister in hospital today, along with another sister and Jesus. She was happy to receive the Eucharist and we spent some time talking. The sister I was with mentioned something about audiobooks at one point which made me think of your great suggestions, but Sister is worried about the nurses having to carry too much when they move her to another part of the hospital (which seems likely, given her situation has changed). She's so sweet that way.

While we were with her, a doctor came in and said that after testing, she was found to have deep vein thrombosis and a clot 10 cm deep in her leg. She'll now need to have infusions and so they had to re-insert a cannula in her arm. I really felt so deeply for Sister - she had just had a cannula removed and her arm was still bruised, and her vein was very difficult to find. 

Sister became very dejected and a bit upset afterwards, mainly because she knew that she wouldn't be able to make the funeral of a friend next Monday. I just sat with her and held her hand. Please pray for her.

 

[Antigonos]

Ask around and see whether you can find someone who has an iPod [no longer made, alas].  It is very small, fits into the pocket of a robe or housedress.  Audiobooks can be easily downloaded to one, and it is very easy to operate, even for someone with impaired vision, once the book itself is chosen [easy enough for a visitor to do]. 

With a little effort, recordings of prayers, or the rosary, etc. or some other devotional literature can also be added to an iPod, since I assume she can no longer read the liturgy.

When I was in nursing school, in the 60s, there were earphone jacks by each bed whereby bedridden patients could listen to the weekday morning service from the synagogue which was part of the hospital [it was an Orthodox Jewish institution].  The technology has moved on a lot since then, but the main advantage was that it gave the patient a sense of being with community.

[Spem in alium]

13 hours ago, Antigonos said:

Ask around and see whether you can find someone who has an iPod [no longer made, alas].  It is very small, fits into the pocket of a robe or housedress.  Audiobooks can be easily downloaded to one, and it is very easy to operate, even for someone with impaired vision, once the book itself is chosen [easy enough for a visitor to do]. 

With a little effort, recordings of prayers, or the rosary, etc. or some other devotional literature can also be added to an iPod, since I assume she can no longer read the liturgy.

When I was in nursing school, in the 60s, there were earphone jacks by each bed whereby bedridden patients could listen to the weekday morning service from the synagogue which was part of the hospital [it was an Orthodox Jewish institution].  The technology has moved on a lot since then, but the main advantage was that it gave the patient a sense of being with community.

Thanks Antigonos. I actually have an iPod  I just don't have internet connection on there as I disabled it, but I could take it with me and see if it gets Wi-Fi. I'm still not sure what the hospital's connection is like.

I actually have an app on my iPod called Laudate, which has the prayers, but I'm not sure if there's the audio option too. I never checked it really. She can no longer read the liturgy.

Sister does have audiobooks on tape (which is why she was concerned about carrying things, as she would need a recorder here).

That is such a good idea, bringing patients together and allowing them to participate in something. I think she is getting a bit lonely. She doesn't have many people visiting her during the week. As far as I know (but I could be wrong) it's only my superior, who is away, and then me and another sister in the evening as regular visitors, so during the day it must be tiring for her just to sit. She had an upsetting experience on Monday with one sister (who was impatient and angry with her after having to wait several hours to see Sister because she was having tests), and I felt so sorry when she told me. It's not her fault at all.

I also need to check if the hospital has a chaplain, because Sister has so far only received the Eucharist when we have brought it and I don't think she has had pastoral care visits. Sometimes she won't ask for things because she doesn't want to inconvenience people, but it's her right to have this and something that she definitely wants and needs. This is a private hospital (not run by the government, but by an independent group) so they do things their own way --- but even so, they should have a chaplain.

Edited June 21, 2016 by Spem in alium

[TheresaThoma]

Definitely check into the audio books on the iPod. 

I hope that you can find a chaplain for her. Another resource might be the parish closest to the hospital, there may be someone there who can bring her the Eucharist.

[Feankie]

I was a member of the hospital visitation team from our parish in the past.  When I'd make hospital visits to our parishioners I'd always ask the charge nurse on the floor if there were any other R.C. patients.  If so, I'd pop my head in and ask if they would like to receive the Eucharist.  My pastor was very open for us to take more hosts rather than fewer......just in case.  Also, I served on the Volunteer Pastoral Team at another hospital (no official Catholic chaplain, just us).  We were on the floors everyday to take the Eucharist to patients who had registered as Catholic. We'd ask if they wished to receive that morning.  If not, we'd try again another day.  There were always some who said it was ok for us not to come back, that they'd wait for their priest to come.  No hard feelings.

So.....perhaps there are parish visitors from a nearby parish/parishes who would stop in for your Sister.  If you explained your situation, especially since it is a Sister who served the Church faithfully for years, it would make a difference.  Hope it works out for you as it must be painful for both her and you to know she's not receiving more often, if not daily.

Edited June 22, 2016 by Francis Clare
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