I'm not cut out for working with the elderly.

I know they tell you not to get attached for a reason, but it's impossible when you're around someone every day for over a year, they become your family.
I had this couple that I loved, the wife recently went to rehab, and the husband did dialysis for the last 3 years. I love their family, they come to visit a few times a week, and actally care.

On Tuesday the husband decided to stop his dialysis, and they've given him until roughly tomorrow to live. I've been in there taking care of him, talking to him, talking to his family. I'm so emotionally drained, that I ended up having to go home because I couldn't do it anymore.
I doubt he's going to make it until I go back to work on Wednesday.

Last night he was flirting with me, and I never even really said good bye, I was too afraid. I'm just glad his family will be there with him.

I guess I just had to let this out.

  
I'm so sorry..
I don't think I'm ever ok hearing someone isn't going to make it much longer. Breaks my heart.

I am so sorry!

I know how tough it is, I have spent the last year caring for the elderly and the first client I lost, it was awful. I went home and just cried and cried for a couple days.

I'm so sorry   you do have to be a special kind of person to be able to become attached & watch the people you've grown so fond of pass. I definitely couldn't do it  

I understand what your going through it becomes really tough. I have had a few patients that i became really attached to and they unfortunately passed. It makes it even rougher that I'm the one who puts together their death certificate for the doctor.

What helps me is I always say a little prayer for them, and then say goodbye, and to know they were loved and are now in a better place.

Your an angel for helping that family and I can bet a million times they appreciate you.

I am sorry to hear that 
I know the feeling. I was a CNA for almost 2 years. I had to stop doing it for that reason.

Quoting X-XJennaX-X:" I understand what your going through it becomes really tough. I have had a few patients that i became ... [snip!] ... and are now in a better place. Your an angel for helping that family and I can bet a million times they appreciate you. "

Thank you. I know they appreciate it, and I know he did too. As many times as he called me a loud pain in the ass, I was the only one who was ever allowed to get him hot packs.
Just for good measure yesterday he grabbed my ass to see if I would call him a pain in the ass.

Quoting whitney ♥ ainsley:" Thank you. I know they appreciate it, and I know he did too. As many times as he called me a loud pain ... [snip!] ... allowed to get him hot packs. Just for good measure yesterday he grabbed my ass to see if I would call him a pain in the ass. "

so sorry,

Yeah, I know they say not to get attached, but it's extremely hard when they became a part of your every day life. They become like a second family. Dialysis is hard on the body and just plain exhausting. I honestly don't know how some people do it for years and years. Just know that you're making a difference in his final days and his family will probably never forget how you cared for him.

Even working in the ER it was very hard not to get attached. Especially to people who came in all of the time. Then see their obits or have them code in the ER or hospital. I'm sorry

I'm the activities director at my nursing home and I have to admit, when a resident that I am extremely close to passes, especially unexpectedly, I take time off. My first time that happened, he passed literally five minutes after I said goodbye to him on a Friday afternoon, and I had the weekend off, I took Monday and Tuesday off too. Being the center of the residents daily interaction, I couldn't take hearing them talk about it or ask questions about it.

So far it has happened twice, and both of them were the most intelligent .caring, wonderful men I had ever met.

My husband tells everyone he doesn't know how I do what I do.

I'm sorry and I truly hope he goes surrounded by love and to a better place.