Air Companions is on the Job!

Air Companions was on the job last Sunday, June 20, 2010, Father's Day! I flew out of the Portland, Maine Jetport in the late afternoon. I snapped this photograph right from my window on the plane.

I sat by two young men. We were all strangers. The one in the aisle seat was very quiet and busy doing his numbers puzzles. He did tell us he was from Scotland. The young man sitting in the middle seat was a fellow Mainer. He was young enough to be my son and he enjoyed the art of conversation. We talked steadily for three hours! It was very interesting, though. His name is Tim and he is an engineer. It seems that engineers can have very diverse careers just like nurses. Tim inspects railroad bridges. He flies all over the country inspecting railroad bridges. Sometimes he has to wade through swamps up to his chest in disgusting swamp water! He does wear waders, but still?! GROSS! He told me he sees huge snakes and spiders all the time. I was sickened, yet enthralled. Anyway, I told Tim that it's a good thing God didn't make us all the same. He agreed because he couldn't imagine doing what I do. When we landed in the HUGE airport in Atlanta we parted ways. Tim was going to Savannah, Georgia to inspect railroad bridges. I was going to the pan handle of Florida.

I arrived in the Fort Walton Airport at about 11p.m. I rented a car and drove about 18 miles to a little town called Crest View. I got lost trying to find the hotel and stopped at a convenience store to ask directions. The young man standing outside kindly gave me directions and I found my hotel easily. By the time I got to my room it was almost midnight. I didn't sleep well. I was too psyched to do my new job! Finally I guess I got a few hours sleep but I was up with the birds.

I ate a quick breakfast at the hotel and headed for the nursing home to pick up my client. We were flying out of Fort Walton at 10:20a.m. Once in the rental car things went downhill rather quickly. The night person at the hotel had printed me out a map to help me navigate to the nursing home. Even with that in hand I somehow got VERY lost! I found myself on a divided highway called Route 10 heading for Tallahassee! I was scared and sick to my stomach. What was I going to do?! Up ahead I saw a rest area and it looked to be an information station, too. I parked, got out and saw it was indeed a rest area but it was unmanned! It had bathrooms, vending machines and information, but no people! I was getting sicker by the minute. I knew I was going to blow this job and Air Companions would never get off the ground! I walked back to my car desperately trying to figure out what to do. Low and Behold I saw what I thought was a policeman! I was never so happy to see a policeman in my life! In my mind I'm thinking police escort to the nursing home!

I walked up to the policeman and discovered by that he was a security guard. He was very nice and asked me how my day was going. I told him it wasn't going well and relayed to him my troubles. He told me that the next chance I had to change my direction was 10 miles down the road in Tallahassee. I knew that I would miss the scheduled flight. Then this wonderful man said that if it were him he would maybe do a U turn on the median. He reminded me that this was an illegal thing to do, but he was just finishing up for the day and had to go out back to tidy up. If I was going to do a U turn maybe that would be a good time. He then drew me a map and explained in detail how to get to the nursing home. I figured out why I made the mistake I did. Believe it or not I usually am not bad at directions. I think the "guardian angel of the air" met up with her guardian angel at a rest stop in Florida.

I made the U turn and headed back to Crest View and found the nursing home. The staff was waiting for me inside. My client was just about ready to leave for her adventure. Her name is Doris and she told me that she had not even been out of the nursing home in at least 2 years! Doris' husband was there helping her get ready. He still lives in their home nearby. He visits Doris faithfully everyday. He is staying behind for a week to get the house packed up and he will fly to Maine in early July.

Doris is wheelchair bound. She suffers with some dementia and she has a G tube. She is very thin and tall. She needs assistance with most everything. Doris was somewhat apprehensive about flying but she was a real trouper. I instantly liked her. She told me she was a teacher and taught children how to read. I told her my grandmother was a teacher and taught children how to read.

Finally we were ready to head out for the airport. We said our goodbyes to the wonderful staff at the nursing home. (Have you ever noticed how very nice the southern people are? I really love that about them.) I wheeled Doris out to the car and helped her transfer into the front seat, stowed the wheelchair in the front seat and we were off! Doris thoroughly enjoyed the ride to the airport as she had not been out for a ride for a very long time. Once we got to the airport we turned in the rental car and headed into the airport to go through the rigmarole one has to go through to get on a plane. Little did I know what a rigmarole it would be! I'll give you a hint: Doris did not have a picture ID on her!

I'm going to stop right there and let you imagine what happened to Doris and I at the Fort Walton Airport when we went through security. In a couple of days or so I will write the second half of my story about Air Companions first job.

In honor of all those who have served.....

I was going to do a special post for Memorial Day but never got to it. Then I was shooting for Flag Day and never got to it. So, I'm doing it now. I think that we all have a patriotic feeling from Memorial Day right through July 4rth. Of course we should all year, but I think this time of year really stands out. Anyway, I have a dear friend who served in combat in Vietnam. I sent him an email about Memorial Day and he sent me back the following email sharing a very solemn experience. I think what he has to say says it all about war and what our troops give up so we can be free. My friend did not want me to use his name except for the letter T. Here's to you, T, and all of our troops who have served in times past and present......


To share a nugget of experience which I seldom do on this subject...

For a time, my unit was at Tan San Nhut Air Base in Saigon to re-organize. We were delegated to sleep right next to the flight line. Each night at 11 p.m., a fleet of large, low-bed, open trucks would arrive and park in the row of aircraft standing by to deliver the scores of that day's casualties home. The scene was etching as the moonlight reflected off the coffins, too many to count - predictable, night after night after night. Each was transferred to an aircraft with utmost reverence, each soldier receiving the respect of patience and time as each coffin was handled ceremoniously by comrades who worked through the night to avoid the revealing daylight image that would demoralize our own and cheer the enemy. At first, I would watch for a time, somehow compelled to face the reality of my own presence. Later, I only waited to hear the trucks arrive before falling asleep playing the nearby scene in my mind. It was every bit as stirring as it sounds, and I shall always remember it as if it was yesterday.

The Trip to Rehobeth, Delaware with Sherman

A year ago last June (2009) my sister and I split one week's rent on a condo in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware. She had been there several times, but I had never been there. My mother and Molly's best friend joined us along with our husbands and Molly's 8 year old son, Sam and his friend, Mabel. Dan, my husband, and I decided to bring along the 84 year old man I care for in my home. So, all in all there were 9 people going on this little vacation (if you want to call it that). To your right is a picture of my nephew, Sam. He's pretty cute and a great kid.

My sister, Molly, drove down a day before I did. And it's a good thing she did or we would probably still be looking for the condo! We started out mid-morning the next day. As I remember, it was a beautiful summer day; perfect for driving.

It took us hours to pack. The roof of my 2003 Ford Escort station wagon reminded me of the Beverly Hill Billies as everything but the kitchen sink was tied to the top of the car, including a commode/pot chair. I'm sure we did not go unnoticed down the highway!

The trip was fairly uneventful for most of the way. We made a lot of stops along the way so that Sherman could move around and stretch. It took us 13 or 14 hours to get there and then we got lost! Of course, it was dark and raining which made everything harder to see. I think we drove at least ten miles beyond where we should of turned off before we realized we were going in the wrong direction. All I can say is THANK GOD FOR CELL PHONES! What did we do before they were invented?!

When we travel I like to drive and my husband likes to keep an eye on the map. But, when the going gets tough things don't always work out that way. I have to say that our worst arguments have been over finding a destination. I called my sister, Molly and she talked us through it until we got to the condo. By then it was at least 11 pm! Sherman was not happy and neither were we. The condo was on the second floor so we had to take everything up via stairs or the elevator. Not fun when you are tired. Finally, I got Sherman settled into bed and my husband and I collapsed in bed shortly afterwards.

Rehobeth is pretty, but very commercialized. It was not really my cup of tea. I prefer a little adventure to nonstop shopping and lying in the sun. Sherman, on the other hand, didn't like any of it. He suffers with dementia and nothing was sitting well with him. After all, I had taken him out of his familiar environment. It made his dementia worse. Things seemed to be going down hill fast. I pretty much regretted going to Rehobeth Beach from the minute I landed there.

We suffered it out for a few more days but then both my husband and I just wanted to go home, not to mention the Sherman was practically yelling it from the rooftops! So, 4 days into our vacation we set for home and we were never so thrilled to get home as we were from that trip!

Sherman is pictured above at a Christmas partly last December with my dear friend, Marie.

I learned a big lesson from that trip. Sometimes people just don't want to go on vacation and when you take them you are not doing them or yourself a favor!

The Herald Gazette: Business Expo showcases local commerce

The Herald Gazette: Business Expo showcases local commerce


Air Companions, Inc made it's debut at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Wednesday, May 26, 2010. It was a great day and Air Companions even got a write up in the Friday, May 28th edition of the Herald Gazette! Click on to the above link to learn more!