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Christian Living Today
Around Thanksgiving one year, I met Mary (not her real name). Mary was a young single mother dying from cancer.
Mary lived alone and required extra caregivers. Typically, I visited her in the middle of the day while her children attended school, and we mostly watched TV in her bedroom. She ate little, but occasionally enjoyed popsicles or a cool drink.
She slept a lot, and I was merely present for whatever need should arise.
One day, which began routinely enough, Mary suddenly cried out, “I’m going to be sick. Quick, get some towels.”
She began retching, sick in her bed.
As I responded, everything moved in slow motion, and in my mind, her small house stretched into the size of a football field. All I heard was her retching sounds filling my ears.
I had a problem — when someone vomits, I always join them. I always have. I couldn’t even care for my own children when they were sick.
Thoughts of taking care of someone in such circumstances scared me to death. I didn’t want to offend her, and I sure didn’t want to throw up along with her.
I moved as quickly as I could through her little home to the linen closet, silently praying: “Oh Lord, please help me take care of Mary. And please don’t let me throw up.”
I kept running those twenty long steps across her house.
Returning to Mary’s room, I found a horrible mess all over her bed, her clothes and herself. And I prayed: “Oh, please Lord. I can’t do this. Help me do this.”
I had never seen such a mess, and even now I hesitate to describe it in detail. Let’s just agree it was really terrible.
I bathed her face and neck. I made sure she was comfortable with a clean gown and helped her transfer to a nearby chair. I immediately took the soiled linens to the washing machine and began the cleaning process to get her room back in order.
God was our very present help. I never felt queasy or sick, or even a gag.
God’s compassion gave Mary dignity, with minimal drama.
Mary passed away near Christmas that year, but I’ll always recall God’s goodness for us both. Until next week, Anita
Onarecker, an Elgin resident, author of “Divine Appointment: Our Journey to the Bridge” and minister to women and adults, earned a Master of Christian Education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2007.
