Chaplain Jeanne

Met a patient who shared that when he was three years old, his face was
torn by a mean dog. The dog tore his face up pretty bad, and the only
thing that saved him was the fact that his mother had put a fur collar around
his neck preventing the dog from cutting his juggler vein. After that
time, he was a shadow in public hiding from others. He grew up to join
the navy. His ship was blown out of the water, and he awoke nine days
later in Guam. All his friends had perished in the blow up or disappeared. He
married a women, and realized that he wanted to change and be
happy. He began to smile all the time and started telling jokes, It
really changed him and people noticed how different he was. He shared
that he talked with God but did not know if he was going to heaven. I
told him that he could know.

When I walked into another man's room today, he said he was glad to see
someone from heaven. He said he had lost his brother two days ago.

Chaplain Jeanne

ABOVE: Out two grandaughters

Met an elderly couple whose wife was so sad because the doctor said her husband had to go to a nursing home. She was too weak to take care of him. She had heard of the nursing home where I do services. She wondered about young people today and how they would respond to services like that. Her husband pointed out that in the future, there probably would not even be nursing homes.

One man had a big blister on his toe. He was also a diabetic. He told the doctor about the blister, and they decided to take off all the layers. The nurse was shocked when out popped a black toed under all the blisters. She ran to get someone else. The doctor said he would send him to another doctor he knew. He went to this new doctor and the doctor got out his schedule book and asked him when he wanted to schedule. He asked “schedule what?” The doctor said “were you not told why you were sent here?” He said, “No”. Then he proceeded to tell him the toe need amputated. The patient would not do it and so the doctor gave him a prescription for an antibiotic. He got worse and the doctor said it had to come off. While having surgery, they woke him up later and told him the leg had to come off – either above the below the knee. He had it taken off above the knew as was recommended to prevent further problems later.

Chaplain Jeanne

An 87 year old stylish woman had an ultrasound to see if she had a blot clot and the ultrasound did not show up any. They lady said the girl who did it did not do good job and just went over her leg without putting any pressure to the veins. She went home and did not feel good about it and felt she DID have a blood clot. Her husband told her they did not find, but she decided to go back again. They did find one and she was placed in the hospital. She shared that her first husband had died, and she was single for 10 years before she remarried. Here second marriage was 32 years and he died. When she was 59 years old, she took her grandchild to raise. She said that she liked to be up-to-date and was particular about her hair styles. She had a hair full of hair with a beautiful color for an 87 year old woman. She does think about dying at times, but showed no interest in talking about spiritual matters. I asked her if she was ready to meet God and she said, “Whatever”. She did agree for me to have prayer with her and I inserted John 3:16. Hopefully, this woman will find God in new and meaningful way in her life.

Patient has six things wrong with her including hearing voices and depression. When she was a child her father would put her in the closet. Both her parents were abusive to her. When she was in the closet she would talk to God. Her dad would ask her, “Who are you talking to” She would say the man in the closet. He would open the door, look in and grab her out with a fearful look on his face and slam the door. She would pick flowers with God, or fly during this time. At the age of 16, she married. One day, her mother brought over her baby brother to her with a bag of clothes and told her to raise him. She has found her happiness in God, her husband, and her children. She has a difficulty walking, but when she does, she will sing, when she is lying down, she spends time in reading her bible.

Chaplain Jeanne

ABOVE: My father was killed at the age of 32.

Patient shared they had a car wreck years ago that hurt their back and left them with a disability. Later there was a sore that came on his back side and it seemed to be getter better. Actually, it erupted and the hole inside was rotted and came out. The doctor scraped it out and the flesh came out all the way to his bone. He will never walk again but can sit in a wheel chair. His wife is a great support to him.

One day while in ICU a family member wanted the patient to show me her tongue. It was black! She had a blood clot and it went down in her mouth and her tongue was very black, I was told it was better for it had looked worse. She had such a pleasant countenance and I had prayer with her. I had never in my whole life seen anything like this. Neither had others according to her friend who were present

One man told me he was going to hospice. I asked him if he was ready to go to heaven. He said he hoped so. I told him that he could know. His wife was present and there for him which is especially good during these times. I had prayer with him (salvation prayer) and he said he was forgiven. Thank the Lord, that he helps me to be faithful to those. There are times I feel like I have failed, but have to trust him in this as well.

A Note From Chaplain Jeanne

Patient said he talked with God every evening and saw Him when the TV was off on the screen. He said God had delivered him from alcohol and smoking. He did have some foul language when he said he wanted out of the “d” bed. I guess only God knows our hearts; it is not for me to judge. He did not like pastors getting paid a large salary and said he was removed from his church. He did not share the reason why. I just asked him how he felt about that move.

It has been a pleasure today to pray with people who can hardly respond to me. I do not know what is going on in their minds when I prayer, but do NOT underestimate the power of God, at all. He works in mysterious ways beyond our comprehension. I praise Him.

Talked with a staff member who seemed to have the need to share. She said she was not buying as much Christmas this year, and had cut back. She used her plan with the hospital to give her kids money only her youngest (16) wanted gifts. She shared how one year she bought one of her kids a pool table and they used it as a laundry table. She was not going to do that again. She expressed how she hated how her mother was so hard to please. One year, she took her some flowers that she thought were lovely and all she said was, "I'd rather have had roses." Some people are ungrateful!

Chaplain Jeanne

Patient was so glad to be cared for at this hospital. She worked at another hospital and hated every day that she worked there (20 years). She said the staff did not take good care or treat the patient’s right. She told them she was coming to the hospital she was presently at for medical help.

Another patient was experiencing sharp pain if she moved. She said when her granddaughter was 5 years of age she started getting big in her stomach. The little girl said she was getting a fat belly like her daddy. They took her to the hospital and she had a cancerous tumor attached to her liver. Up-to-date - the patient shared how the girl (now who was 12) and went back to the hospital and was saying how painful it was what they were doing to her. Then she added that she understood what her grandmother was going through with her pain. She also shared how her sister just fell over the bed and they found several tumors in her head. I asked if she had told the doctor about the cancer that ran in her family, she said she had not, but that said she would.

Met a husband who expressed how unhappy he was with the treatment the hospital was giving his wife. (That was unusual for this hospital. I mostly hear such good things) He told me that she was despondent and he did not know what was wrong with her. She had quit taking all her medications and seemed to possible be depressed- not sure. He loved her, and did not know what to do. I went into the room and began talking with her. She opened right up and began sharing with me. Her husband came into the room (better that he had stayed away as I was suspecting his overbearing attitude could have an effect with his wife). While we both were in the room she messed right on her bed. The staff came after awhile and helped clean her up. He was furious and talked more while we were outside the room about the treatment she had been getting. He shared further the way his own children treated their mother (these were middle age adults) who would hardly visit her and he was thinking about doing something that would wake them up and mentioned his “Will” That was what I figured he was talking about. He shared he was a retired principal around here and knew about things. His son came over to help make a wider doorway for a wheel chair for his mother and wanted to know why she couldn’t walk instead. It did not sound good. I tried to encourage him to let go and forgive. He said he did not hold grudges. Hmmmm! He was very disappointed with his kid’s behavior and did not know how to help his wife. He wished his kids had offered to help some, and they did not.

Met a patient who introduced me to his family. One was a minister of a Church of God – Missouri and another came in shortly who was a minister of Church of God – Cleveland. They both pastured not too far away. The patient had been in a car accident 20 years ago having a metal and pins put into his leg. This had caused infection (leg was red) and they were doing surgery. He should have had the pins taken out a long time ago and did not. We had prayer together and they were so polite shaking hands a second time when I left. I shared I shared that I was a Nazarene who was like the Church of God. They said that was like the Anderson Church of God.

Met a patient who could not speak, He said he was an alcoholic and was seeking help. I shared some reasons – good family support and accountability from several friends to check in daily – staying away from even a sip of drink. He did not like that part because he wanted to reward himself with a drink after so many times of not drinking. He did not want any more to do with me after that. It sounded like he really doesn’t not want help. That is too bad. His wife had left the room for us to talk, but he was done.

One young girl was frightened she had overdosed and was going to be sent to the Psychiatric ward. She told me she was scared. I held her hand and had prayer with her. The doctor came in and saw the situation and backed off, but I conveyed to her we were done. After the doctor left, I felt impressed to take her a scripture card "God will take care of you" She took it I thank gratefully. She really needs prayer.

Chaplain Jeanne

Met a man who wanted to talk. He was in the hospital and would be going to a nursing home for rehabilitation. His wife had cancer and he needed to be home for her he expressed. She had cancer several years ago having breast removed and now it came back the cancer. His mother had died shortly who had been in a nursing home. She did not want to be there, but the medical staff felt she would be better taken care of and should be there talking her into going there. Now they had the same issue with his wife's mothers who were on her 80's and not well. She could not make it to the bathroom and would mess. She refused to go to a nursing home where they could take better care of her. It was difficult on him and his wife who were elderly themselves and not well.

Walked into one room and the patient had his lunch in front of him. He had a bun and trimmings with not meat. They had left off the meat. I shared how when I went to college, the same things happened to me. I had ordered a hamburger and as I was eating it realized there was not meant on the bum. It was actually funny. My husband may have been the one to figure it out as I was expressing that the sandwich was odd. Crazy isn't it?