Let's Celebrate!

I had never really thought about the fact that Baycrest is not like other hospitals. But this past Friday I was forced to think about the fact that geriatric centres like Baycrest are the final destination for most patients enrolled there. One of the regular fixtures at the sixth floor Oneg Shabbat services passed away suddenly on Thursday and although I didn’t know him, I know that he was relatively young (approximately 74), I know that he was loved by friends and family and I have witnessed that he will be missed. Allan, who officiates the services, spoke a few words with regards to the passing and then he spoke a few words with regards to what our focus should when faced with death. According to Allan, Jewish law stipulates that when a funeral and wedding procession are about to intersect the funeral procession has the obligation to let the wedding procession pass first. The underlying idea is that life is to be celebrated more than death is to be remembered. This idea resonates with me on so many levels. One of which is fittingly from the health prospective. Dwelling on negative experiences can adversely affect physical and mental health. Also, many religions possess different teachings that aim to prevent degenerative thinking. From my own tradition the Bible speaks about forgiveness and believing that God is will answer our prayers instead of doubting that perhaps our situation can't be improved. It also gives hope that life on this earth isn’t like Baycrest-that life on earth isn’t the final destination.

After the service on the sixth floor Cameron and I were involved in another Sabbath service in the residential section of the Baycrest campus. This section can be thought of as a nursing home and the residents are more stable in terms of health than the patients in the hospital wing. However, most of the residents have dementia albeit at different stages. I was responsible for transporting a wheelchair bound lady who spoke no English to the Sabbath service. Her husband was present and luckily for me he spoke English quite well but was unable to transport her because of his own mobility problems. I don’t know how often he visits his wife but simply watching his dedication to her, in her state of deterioration, literally epitomized the enduring love most often shown in movies like The Notebook. He was so wrapped up in her world that nothing else mattered, not even the fact that I had to leave at four o’clock and he wanted to return to his room a half hour later than that. Now that I think about it there is great bliss in the thought that I was able to facilitate that experience for them. I have such a passion for marriages and the Jewish community at Baycrest has strengthened that passion. It is not rare to see a spouse visiting their loved one and doting on them. And I have to say that celebration of life in this way can really brighten anyone’s day. I hold religion responsible for such fidelity and by extension such happiness.