Spiritual Care

Met a young women who sat across from me in the dining hall today. I thought about speaking to her and finally did. In the course of the conversation, she told me she had thought about speaking to me. I asked if she was a visitor and she said she worked at the hospital. She asked me several questions about what I did in the hospital, if I was married, and had kids. I answered her telling her I was serving some ministry time toward Ordination. She told me she was ordained. I asked her what she needs to do to be ordained. She said you had to have knowledge and be baptized. She said that women were not pastors as this was not biblical and that her husband was an elder in the church. Being and ordained woman she shared the gospel only outside of the church. Interesting!

A Family was with a man who was 62 years old who had actually been a child mentally (Down syndrome) for 62 years. He had a major stroke and was going to hospice. I had prayer with the patient whom the family said could hear. The family said the patient wanted to go to heaven and be with Jesus. They said he loved everyone and would go up to hug people demonstrating his big bear hug.

Pastoral Care Work

A guest who was visiting her mother asked me what I believed. I told her some basic doctrines and mentioned being filled with God’s love and walking in holiness. She said, “Oh, you believe in holiness”. She asked what was the difference in how I believed. She told me she was Pentecost. Knowing how the Pentecost believed I shared with her what I believe. She did not disagree with me in any way. She went on the share how it was a relationship with God not on how we dressed or looked. I had to agree with that. She shared how God had changed her life when she was 50. I was glad to share with her my faith as well.

Met Marc’s family a patient who is young and so encouraging. He has a great faith in God. I shared with the family how encouraging he was and how I felt that he inspired me and had great strength. They felt he had good strength. I told them it was from God and they said that is what he said.
One patient fooled me when he said “Amen” following my prayer. He was in ICU and I did not think he could talk. He asked for ice and I asked the nurse who said he could have it in a cup. He asked me to come back and tell him what the nurse said so I did. He told me he was a minister and asked me to pray again which I did. The nurse came and brought him some ice.

Walked into the room of a man who had just completed his dialysis. He was not a very happy man and shared that. He did not feel that a God could be a good God who would allow people to suffer and even mentioned how God treated the Jews. I shared from the Word the way God works and that it is difficult to understand his ways. He was not open to anything about God, I told him about salvation and he said he did not believe in hell and what happened to him would just have to happen. I believe God sent me to warn him, and he made his choice what his eternity would be. God did not do it to him. I told him every knee would bow to God and that there would be Day of Judgment and we would all give account for what we did with our lives. He did not care or believe the Bible or God. He is living in a dangerous attitude of mind.

Another man who used to be a principal of a large school was upset because his wife would not listen to him regarding her physical condition in taking her breathing treatment to help her. He felt helpless that he could not control her. I talked with him a while and told him how we need God's strength. He agreed. I went in a prayed with them both. He seemed to be in a better frame of mind that when I first talked with him earlier in the day.

Received a call from a man who said he needed counseling regarding his decision for taking his father off dialysis. I told him that is his decision and asked what his father wanted. He wanted to go off and the family had made him stay on it. I told him that taking him off dialysis would not be what killed him that there would be other reasons actually. It would be allowed nature to take its course and God's will could be completed. Keeping them alive is sometimes a selfish reason yet a difficult one to make. But we must let them go with dignity if that is what they desire. There is a time to step back and allow nature to take its course. These are some things I shared with the family. I am in no position to make someone's decision for them, but sometimes they need pastoral counseling, because they feel so guilty. Some may not agree with me, but until you are in that place, it is best not to judge others in what decisions they make.

Pastoral Care Work

Met an 89 year old man who was very emotional. He shared that he had Alzheimer’s and wished God had a cure for it. He was going out to dinner with a woman 65 years old. Possibly, she had taken him under her wings (opinion). He said he was on house arrest and lived alone for a few years now. I had prayer with him and he cried and cried. He felt it was ok for a man to cry and said that his sons were macho who did not believe in crying or church. I encouraged him to trust God and that he was not alone – God is our refuge in strength and ever present help. He knows God has been with him, but is so sad about this diagnosis of his.

Called to the room of a lovely lady whose family left when I arrived in order that I could speak to her alone. They had taken her off dialysis and was sending her to hospice care today. She was very alert and somewhat emotional. I asked her if she was ready and she said she was. She expressed concern for those left behind. We talked about heaven that there would be no more pain, sorrow and tears there. She hoped that God would give her enough to do in heaven. I said she would be kept busy enough. She was so lovely and as we talked my eyes filled with tears. I talked with her family after I had left the room and they told me they lived in Fairborn and used to attend the church that I attend when they were children. What a small world. They wanted me to tell the organist who used to pick them up about her in the hospital. The request was honored. It is a privilege to meet someone who is dying, yet so ready to go to heaven. She will have some rough days ahead more emotionally, but God will be with her. I am sure of that! Praise his name! I shared this with the organist who was faithful to visit her bedside at hospice. This lady passed away a few weeks later to rest in the Lord. Praise God, again!

Met a man who degraded himself. He said his wife said he was dumb and told me to hit him at one point. He just wanted to talk saying I was nice. It made me wonder what kind of life this man had had with people who were unkind to him. He said he found it difficult to be kind to people. We talked a while and he seemed to be doing well so I got up to leave however he woke up and told me to stay. I stayed for just a while and left. It is so sad to see people like this who think so little of themselves. He was in such extreme pain and would not call the nurse for help saying someone else was worse off. I went and told the station about his extreme pain and how he felt.

Was very concerned when I heard the news of one patient who died today while I was at the hospital. When I walked into his room, he told me he had some pain and wanted something for pain. I went and conveyed this to the staff. I was told later by another chaplain that he died. I never got to prayed with him and felt terrible about this. I do not understand this, but know that God did allow him to see a chaplain once time before he died. We never know how God used the visit that I am unaware of at this time. That is where I must trust God and leave it in his hands.

Pastoral Care Work

Precious lady was upset who was in long extended care on the hospital. She had two dogs and needed to find a home for them by this evening. No one would take the dogs unless she would give them to her. She would have to give away her dogs due to begin sick and not at home to care for them – how sad.

Talked with a patient with nor lower half – a young man. He said he was encouraged in God and looking up to God. He expressed great faith in him and rather than wanting to talk about himself asked about the chaplain who was visiting how she was feeling. I shared a little and had prayer. God will give grace for whatever we need him for. He did ask me to pray for strength for himself.

Man had lain in the hospital of one room and got a great sore on his buttock that he could not use his legs to walk at all not even to hang on the sides of the bed. He was moved to another hospital that gave long term care and was having a difficult time adjusting to his plight. He needed adjusted and I called the staff for him and got him some ice. We had a long talk that made him feel better.

A wife was so upset with the doctor because she could not get the answers that she needed regarding her husband who was in a coma. He needed brain surgery and apparently it left him in a coma. They gave her three different answers as to what brain activity was going on and she was not happy. She made them change his feeding and he got better she said. She said he was not seeing a neurosurgeon (strange) and she wanted to change doctors. Medical will try to save lives, but it would be nice if they would be more upfront with families and not hold them handing as to major decisions that need to be made.