A Senior's Last Request

Due to the fact that I no longer work, I spend a lot of my time volunteering. One of the things that I most like to do is visit a nearby nursing home. I have one special woman that I have become very close to in the past 6 months who is 86 years old. She has cancer and she has been very close to dying. I took a very special interest in her because she has no family and she also reminded me very much of my own grandmother whom I loved dearly and whom passed away 9 years ago.

Anyhow, yesterday I was sitting alone in my living room and I was fondly reminiscing about the times that I had recently shared with this elderly woman. I hadn't been to see her in about a month and I suddenly felt compelled to go visit her. I got dressed and I stopped by the grocery store to buy her some flowers... carnations being her favorites. I wasn't in any way prepared for what was about to happen.

When I arrived at the nursing home, the nurse on duty informed me that my precious friend wasn't doing too well, and that they thought that she might be experiencing her last days. I was very saddened by the news, but very happy that I had decided to visit her. This woman and I have one very special thing in common... we both love and adore Clay Aiken.

Before, this woman was put into a nursing home, she was living in an assisted living residence. That is where she first saw Clay on AI2. She told me that she fell in love with his voice the very first time she heard him sing. I too shared in the same sentiment. She and I would sit for countless hours talking about Clay, his career and his beautiful voice. When she was going through chemotherapy, she told me that she liked listening to Clay sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water"... she told me that particular song brought her peace and made her feel better about her circumstance.

I use to tell her about all of the new friends I was making as a result of my Clay fandom and show her new pictures of Clay. She would always tell me how handsome she thought he was, and would jokingly say, "if I was only 60 years younger!" Believe me, I know exactly how she feels. Anyhow, I would keep her informed about what was going on with him and in his life. I know that she cherished my visits with her and it brought me much pleasure to share in my love for Clay with her.

When I got to her room, I tried to look cheerful and optimistic about things, even though I knew in my heart that, this could very well be the last time that I got to spend time with my cherished friend. When she saw me enter her room, she smiled from ear to ear. She lightly whispered for me to come to her. When I got to her bedside, she grabbed my arm and said to me, "I believe that the good Lord will be calling me home today," and I began to cry. I asked her if there was anything that she wanted me to do for her and she replied, "I want to hear Clay sing to me." I was choked up and at a loss for words, but I lovingly asked her what it was that she wanted to hear Clay sing. She told me, "Bridge Over Troubled Water." I had various CD's of Clay in my car, but I didn't have the single of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with me. I told her that It would only take me about 15 minutes to go and retrieve it though. She looked up at me and smiled. She also asked me, if I would bring her back a piece of cheese pizza. I was having a very difficult time keeping myself composed, all things considered. I told her that I would be right back with what she had requested of me, turned around and quietly left the room.

I wasted no time, getting myself home. I called Pizza Hut and ordered a small cheese pizza, grabbed my CD single of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and my portable CD player and headphones and raced out the door. I stopped by picked up the pizza and headed back to the nursing home.

When I arrived back at her bedside, she had tears in her eyes. She could barely sit up. I was holding back the tears. With my assistance and that of the nurse on duty, we made my friend as comfortable as possible. The nurse had already put the flowers that I had bought for her in a vase and they were sitting right next to her bed on the night stand, along with the Clay Aiken Stuffed Teddy Bear that I had given to her a couple of months ago. I gently put the CD into the player, put the headphones on her head and started playing her last request for her. I then took a piece of cheese pizza out of the box and gave it to her. She was sobbing. It was all I could do, to stand there acting like I was not affected by what was going on around me at the time. Tears began to stream down my cheek. That precious lady took one bite of her pizza and closed her eyes as she began to slowly chew it. The whole scene was breaking my heart. After she swallowed her bite of pizza, she took a sip of water. She opened her eyes and looked directly at me and said, "Thank you." I took her hand and held it in mine and told her that I loved her. She then closed her eyes for the very last time. I have never in my life been so overcome with emotion.

I am so very grateful that I went to see her yesterday, and that I was the one who was able to fulfill her last requests in life... to hear Clay sing and to enjoy a slice of cheese pizza! This was one of the most touching experiences that I've ever had, that was in some wonderful way related to Clay. I consider myself blessed to have been a part of it. God had called this lovely elderly woman and very dear friend of mine "home," while she was listening to Clay sing her favorite song.

This year, for Christmas I was going to purchase "Merry Christmas With Love" and a portable CD player with headphones for my friend, but last evening she passed away. Unfortunately, I won't get the pleasure of doing that for her now because she is gone. She left this world listening to Clay's beautiful voice and she is now with God! Because of that very experience, I am forever changed.