We all go through life knowing that someday we won’t be here forever. I’m not afraid of dying and see it as a natural part of life. But what does worry me is growing old and not being able to take care of myself. The idea of relying on a hospice nurse makes me a bit anxious.
The thought of needing help with everything, being unable to do simple things on my own, and forgetting my loved ones’ names scares me. It’s not the kind of life I’d want. This fear reminds me of Maria, a music teacher who was cared for by a hospice nurse in 2016.
One night, as I was leaving at the end of my shift, I said ‘Goodnight, Irene.’ Then I asked her if she knew the song ‘Goodnight, Irene,’ and I sang a little bit of it. She looked at me and smiled,” Berg said. “For someone who didn’t usually talk much with the nurses, that smile meant a lot, and I knew I had made a connection with her.”As Rosipajla’s health got worse, it was decided to move her from the hospital to hospice care. “The last time I took care of Irene, I wanted to do something kind for her and her family, so I brought my guitar,” said Berg, who had studied music in college. “I sang ‘Goodnight, Irene,’ and it was a really special moment. I was nervous about singing in front of someone, but when I started playing and singing, she was so focused, and her family was really touched.”
Michelle Naypauer, Irene Rosipajla’s daughter-in-law who saw her as a mother, was in the room and moved to tears. “Irene was a wonderful person who treated me like a daughter,” Naypauer said. “In the last few months, Irene was in and out of the hospital, and we got to know Annamarie well.”
“Before the song, Annamarie had already done some great things. Our middle son, Eric, got married in August, and Annamarie helped set up FaceTime so Mom could be at the reception bridal table. It was beautiful,” Naypauer shared.
Naypauer, who recorded Annamarie singing to Irene, wanted to capture the special moment to share with the family. “There were so many tears, and it was just so beautiful,” she said. The song was a heartfelt farewell to Irene, who passed away a few weeks later at home, surrounded by her family.
Watch Joshua sing to Maria while she was in his carehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGFRHyt1sFQ
1. “Maria is dying. Then carer takes something out of his pocket and fulfills her last wish..” Newsner. Norhan Elhakeem. October 26, 2017
2. “Nurse sings to patient moving to hospice care in touching moment.” ABC News. Haley Yamada. March 2, 2020.
My In-Laws Didn’t Invite My Children to Family Dinner, Disparagingly Calling Them “Baggage”
Our reader Nadine sent us an emotional letter. The fact is that her in-laws invited the whole family over for dinner, leaving her children out. To make matters worse, her husband knew this and approved of this behavior.
This is Nadine’s letter.
We decided to find out what readers think about this situation. All of them found the behavior of the husband and in-laws offensive.
- I have a very short answer that I use on occasion, and that is. When people show you who they are, believe them. Whatever is said now and whatever apologies made, you know who they all are. © Linda Fawcett / Facebook
- If my kids weren’t welcome at whatever function, I wouldn’t go either. © Sandy Freed / Facebook
- I would have left straight away and if my husband didn’t follow, I would have finished my marriage, when it comes to my kids no one wins over them. © Liz Russell Flaherty / Facebook
- I’d ask my hit if he cared about me and the kids. And then I’d leave the restaurant with or without him. © Faye Birkbeck / Facebook
- This happened to us for a wedding. Other kids were there. We drove 3 hours to get there, so we were stuck. That was 40 years ago. I never forgot. © Regina Mason / Facebook
- My children come first, they are not baggage’s … it does not matter if you’re blood or not, kindness should be organic. © M Otto Rittah Rxs / Facebook
- I would seriously consider whether you stay with your husband, as he clearly hasn’t accepted your children. To say that they shouldn’t be at a family gathering because they’re not blood relatives, means he agrees with your in-laws. I can only imagine how your kids feel with their ‘so called’ dad, disowning them in this manner. © James Wood / Facebook
Conflict with in-laws is not uncommon. Here is the story of a young woman who decided to teach her insolent mother-in-law a lesson.
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