Walt

The first time I met Walt, I completely misjudged him. His responses to my questions were very slow and hesitant, as if he did not understand what was being said; his mood was flat.  I was there to try to teach Walt and one of his brothers how to give the daily intravenous medication he required since his last hospital stay for an infection.  His brother was very restless, talking nonstop, telling me repeatedly that he could take care of it all.  I was very concerned about how this situation would turn out.  I decided the best approach was to plan a visit daily to make sure all was going well with Walt’s treatment.

Walt had had a rough life; he suffered a head injury that left him with a seizure disorder and unable to work at the job he had held for years.  Times turned tough with a limited income and mounting health problems. Walt developed diabetes and had just recently been diagnosed with lung cancer.  

My course with Walt became a long one that lasted many months once he began the radiation and chemotherapy treatments.  Most people do not have both types of cancer treatments simultaneously, but he did.  We juggled problems with his nutrition, medications, diabetes, as well as living arrangements, transportation and financial concerns.  The time I spent with Walt was a learning experience for me, because he was an avid fan of old movies, especially those starring “The Duke” (John Wayne), and he would teach and quiz me during each visit.  He loved it when he could stump me.

Walt struggled through without complaint, often denying what was obvious to everyone  as his fatigue and weakness mounted.   Walt found God, and a lovely woman, Nadine,  who also lived in his low-income apartment building. Together they went to Bible study in the evenings in the community room, and when he was too tired the group would come to his apartment.  He loved the strength he found during these gatherings.  Nadine would check on Walt throughout the day; nudging him to eat, drink, and rest.  They made quite a pair, and I learned that Walt had a very dry sense of humor and loved to play jokes on others and to have others get one over on him.

Walt completed his radiation and was presented with a certificate from the staff at the cancer center: 35 consecutive treatments!  I loved the fact the staff celebrated this milestone with him, because he had become as dear to them as he was to me.  I bought a frame and together we mounted the certificate in his apartment.  He completed his first round of chemotherapy without further problems.  We all awaited the follow-up scan anxiously.  The news was great -- the tumor had decreased in size! 

Walt had to wait before the next round of chemo would begin.  I would now be able to discharge Walt from home care as he would be able to manage his own health care needs.  I knew I would miss our visits, his joke of the day, and his positive and calm coping skills despite many dark days. I delayed his discharge as long as I could, but rules are rules in the healthcare system.

About a week later, I got a call from the area EMS crew. They had been called to Walt’s apartment by a neighbor and my contact number was the first they found.  Walt was gone from us; they found him kneeling beside his bed, hands folded with his Bible in front of him. Walt’s passing had been swift; he had experienced a seizure and was gone. 

I continue to miss Walt and think about him every time I drive pass his apartment complex. His death was one of the hardest I have had to cope with in my more than 30-year career.  Maybe because I am older now, maybe because I realize how close any of us are to losing our ability to live our lives as we have planned, or maybe because once again I was reminded how quickly our earthly existence can be over.  Or perhaps it is because I came to know and cherish Walt as the good and wise soul that he surely was.