This normally is not an issue, because Steve is eager to be home, and he's all smiles as I run down to pay the bus driver and help my husband climb down. In the long stretch of time it takes between unbuckling his seat belt and guiding him down to the sidewalk, I realize how hard it must be for Steve to:
- look in front of him
- hold the rail
- lower one foot
- alternate with the other one;
- repeat twice until the goal (me) is reached.
He who has pity on the poor lends to His maker. I think the mentally disabled who no longer "own" anything might qualify here as well.
Steve really struggled to step down today, even with both the driver and me helping him, because he was in an emotional state from another leg of their journey, she told me. The calming techniques she used were helpful, and I'll remember them, like saying, "Breathe!" when Steve 's tense and angry. Lately, he starts to take off suddenly in anger from caregivers, me, an enjoyable gathering, or from the Care Connexxus staff.
It seems that "Bobbie," a fellow rider, was wilder than usual, and it was very upsetting to Steve. Now I have the answer to some of his down moods in the afternoon. When there's "acting out" on his bus Steve gets irrationally upset. He's naturally a rule-follower, like a well-behaved child who sees the more fun-loving and almost-naughty kids daring to try something like loud singing, and would never have the courage to join in, but always looked on, lonely, from the sidelines.
Perhaps "Bobbie" will take tomorrrow off; but imagine her family's need for respite care!
Please pray for timely wisdom, because Steve is getting to be too difficult for me to handle with my arthitic hands. Even though my son-in-law Nick installed a new bolt for the front door, we can't get too much more in high security mode because in case of fire, I might even forget how to undo a new bolt while trying to get Steve out.
Jesus is walking me thrugh this valley, like He has so many other times, and I praise and thank Him!
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