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Consider This
By Mona Lease
HI, all! I thought I'd share this with you since we are coming upon the
season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
t has been brought to my attention that my column dated 9/19/2015 -
entitled "Whose Rights Count" - has generated some speculation as to
some particular person or persons that could be the subject matter.
That is not so. My reference to nursing homes is because I worked in
two of our local nursing homes. I worked directly with a patient who
had a staph infection and was required to wash his body - between the
open sores. Another had died of aids - so I was told after I no longer
worked there. Another woman I took care of had tuberculosis. We all had
to line up after she died and get a "tb test" - they inject you with a
dead tb serum. You are later checked to see if you were infected from
the host - or the patient - in this case. I waited on patients to quit
sitting on the toilet so I could clean them and everything else from
their mess...through the tb, the staph infections, cancer, etc.
Patients were allowed to smoke in the nursing homes then - they were
not allowed to have their own lighter. We were required to carry one to
light the cigarettes, pipes, etc. Some of these were soiled linens,
etc. I asked then and I still ask - How are we to determine whose
rights count? Does someone lose their rights because you can show they
have skeletons in their closet? I trust this clears up any confusion.
And again, this is not a black and white issue. And I do not think that
name calling and dredging up the supposed person in the wrong's past
will solve anything.
Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first
day of school and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she
looked at her pupils and said she loved them all alike. And that was
impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat in the
third row, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't
play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkempt, and
that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant.
It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually
take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold
x's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all.
Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him
either.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review
each child's records and she put Teddy's off until last. When she
opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher
wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh. He
does his work neatly, has good manners....he is a joy to be around."
His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student,
well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has
a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard, but his
mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his
father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect
him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't
show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and
sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and Christmas was coming.
After the school play, she started focusing on Teddy Stoddard.
All of the children brought her presents wrapped in beautiful ribbon
and bright paper. Teddy's was clumsily wrapped in heavy brown paper
from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson opened it in front of the other
children - a rhinestone bracelet with some stones missing and a bottle
of perfume that was a quarter full. The other children laughed while
she put on the bracelet and dabbed some of the perfume on her wrists.
Teddy stayed behind long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you
smelled just like my mother used to smell." After the children left -
she cried.
Mrs. Thompson worked with Teddy and his mind came alive. The more she
encouraged - the faster he responded. After his sixth grade, she
received a note under her door from him. It said she was his favorite
teacher. He wrote to say he finished high school - third in his
class....she was still his favorite teacher. Eight years later saw
another note under her door - she was still his favorite teacher. This
one was signed - Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
THE MORAL: "You never can tell what type of impact you may make on
another's life by your actions or lack of action. Consider this in your
venture through life."
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time Ever Toodles!! MONA
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