We all have things that we take for granted and don’t even realize it. When Mrs. Laurel got a call from her daughter that her granddaughter’s last basketball game and Senior appreciation was coming up, she didn’t even consider going, she was excited for her granddaughter. However, Mrs. Laurel’s heart felt heavy. She knew how important this event would be to her granddaughter, and since her stroke, she had missed many things in her grandchildren’s lives. Mrs. Laurel wanted to go, so she did what she always does when she has a problem: she prayed and then took the problem to Administrator Barry Cotton. She asked if there would be a way that she could go see her granddaughter play, watch her be announced as a senior, and go to the banquet afterwards. Barry went to the quality of life department and made it happen.
On February 5th, Lisa Moore, quality of life director, and Frank Hudson, quality of life assistant, headed to West Creek High, in Clarksville, Tennessee with Mrs. Laurel. After an hour drive and lots of exciting conversations, we arrived! Mrs. Laurel was so excited! When we strolled in the gym her granddaughter, Jo-Jo, was on the floor playing. When Jo-Jo was taken out for a break, she looked over and saw her Marmee. No one had not told her that she was going to be able to come. She did a double take and a huge smile spread across her face as she realized her Marmee was there for her.
Mrs. Laurel got to see her granddaughter play her last high school game, got to see Jo-Jo and her mother walk out and be recognized, and then had a great meal with her family, friends, teammates and coaches. The night ended with lots of pictures, hugs, and kisses.
When Mrs. Laurel got home, she was still so excited it was hard to fall sleep! But she told us later, since it was 11:00 and well past her bedtime, she fell asleep eventually.
It’s the simple things that are so easy for us to over look, like jumping in our car and going to support our children and grandchildren. We don’t realized that these things are a privilege that a lot of elders don’t have. That’s one of the many things we in the quality of life department get to do that is so rewarding–being able to give our elders a little bit of their independence back.