Another neighbor is in dreadful shape. George became a bit on the exhotic, cantancerous side about ten years ago. His wife divorced him and dumped him off in this town. The family lives in Indiana. The man has been cognitively fit, just a bit of a pain. His cardiac health has been declining over the last five years. Saturday, he had to have two emergency stints revised. Yesterday, he showed up back here in his hospital gown and slacks underneath the gown. He wanted to check his mail and apartment and walked over from the hospital.

I had just returned from seeing Pain Man and was in the lobby when he came in. Such a surprise. George was disoriented and I grabbed one of my male neighbors who is still in great health, still drives and had hime drive a very arguementative George back. I went with them and totally lost it when I got to the unit, only to find out that they had not missed him yet. I am afraid I truely "lost it" at that point.

I got a phone call today requesting that I be home between 11 am and 1 pm on Saturday because I am having a visit from Santa. One of the local churches got my name as a neglected senior and has adopted me again. I feel like an ungrateful wretch but I don't want someone dressed like Santa coming down my hall yelling ho ho ho and bringing me a meal that I can't eat and and a hygiene kit. I guess it is the pain levels causing me to be so ungreatful and down right mean at the moment. I know the churches mean well but I found out, years ago when I managed a large inner city ministry, that most seniors, shut ins, etc. appreicated far more a visitation from someone from the church outreach program and often felt partronized and treated like a child by a visit from Santa. Boy, I never expected to be on the receiving end. The church makes no attempt to iquire as to whether the recipient has dietary restrictions and I will not be able to eat the majority of the food. They just don't know any better. We distributed about 1,000 loaded Christmas baskets each year but delivered about 350 hot Thanksgiving meals. I had all of the referring agencies find out if they had dietary restrictions and more than half did...........serious dietary restrictions and cooked accordingly. I need prayer for my attitude as these folks mean well. Thanks.

Spine