The Sea Cliff Health Center is located off of Florida Street between Main and Delaware inside Huntington Breach It resembles a Motel Six, and is divided into two sections. Rooms in the rear are for those who need assistance and in the front is the nursing home, where the patrons are at the mercy of the hospital staff. A large parking lot separates it from a fifteen foot looking apartment building that houses low income retirees.
The Five Points Senior Apartments, where I had lived for two years, is south on the corner of Main Street with Java and Trader Joes sitting in a street mall. A lady that I will name Jenny calls the nursing home, the House of Narcotics while I call it the Wax Museum.
On Monday morning I took Access to the nursing home. I wished to drop off two turkey legs at the kitchen for Mel's dinner. It cost me three and change for an Access Taxi to drive me there from my Magnolia apartment.
I felt quite chipper today and looked forward seeing my brother after a vacation in Los Angles. Mel's room 135 B is located in the back or station four. He is lucky to share the hospice room with one only. Outside hallway three sat a couple of wheel chairs, smart enough not to remain in the room. of people, smart not to remain inside their room. Almost everyone will remain inside station three until the end comes. Today two sit in wheel chairs and gaze at an empty Station Four.
Medical supplies sit outside room 135 B. His talkative roommate is fast asleep this Monday. Mel's roommate in bed one is fast, and I do mean fast asleep. He entered the room about three months ago and has created hell for my brother Mel. In his bed all day, his only exercise is interrupting others with his nonsensical speech.
In bed two, Mel sat on his bed and tried to locate his oat meal. Besides the oat meal was one toasted piece of bread. He asked his nurses aid to bring him a bagel, and she left. I fed him and then showed his fingers where the cup of oats was located. I told him the beet and two turkey legs would be served for his dinner. Before I was evicted from the Five Points, perhaps because I was Jewish, I supplemented his diet each evening for his late 7 o'clock dinner. Those in Station Four are the last to eat.
"Thanks George. That guy is making me go crazy. Somebody will just have to make him shut up."
I handed the bagel to him and he began to eat it while I began to leave. seemed in a bad mood and wished to sleep some more. He tales. on average, about eight drugs twice a day. I met GG who gave him his pills as I helped my blind brother with his meal. He had lost lots of fat and began to resemble a scarecrow.
I left and walked down Florida before hitching a left on Delaware. I would take the bus to the Waterfront Hilton and then the #25 for my trip to the Huntington Beach Senior Center. I looked forward to my friends at the Surf City Senior Center. After I arrived at the bus stop on Beach and Garfield, my cell phone spoke. On the other line was GG, Mel's new nurse.
"Got to return quick. A shuttle is here to take him to an appointment."
"Be there in five minutes." Pissed that my day had been jarred loose from me, I backtracked and entered the Wax Museum. Mel sat in a wheel chair, dressed and ready to go. Gill, the shuttle driver, took us to his van and a lift escorted Mel to the rear of the van.
The medical building off of Beach sits in front corner of the notorious Huntington Beach Hospital. Wheeled into the waiting room on the first floor, Gil signed us in, to make sure we had an appointment. Over a year earlier, a Dr. Rosenberg told us we did not have an appointment and I had to push his wheel chair back to the Nursing home. Another time he would not see us.
Dr. Sharp was late but it was nice to speak to two others who waited for their appointment. Mel was antsy and speaking in a loud voice. I took his cold, refrigerator cold and clammy hands, and led him to a chair. Somehow I knew it was too late for Mel and his primary doctor Nassir did not act to heal but to allow death to pay him a visit.
Mel's wheel chair did not fit so I had to haul him inside the examining room and remove the wheel chair back to the lobby. The doctor entered and after he acknowledged me as Mel's brother, examined his left ear.
"Don't think it has spread. Come here and have a look."
Inside the outer ear looked like the inside of an oyster, with a ball of guck. Mel's ear was closed tightly with this guck. I felt madder than hell that Mel has had to suffer when a little incision two years ago could have removed this ball of guck. Then it was Dr. Jennings who gave him ear drops for his itchy ear
"Mel, it is cancer but don't believe it had spread. We can use radiation, a cutting, or a pill."
"Just cut it out."
"Probably need a further surgery since it had probably gone even deeper inside the ear."
Mel's energy had been depleted and I he barely had enough energy to sit in his wheel chair. What alarmed me was that Mel did not wish to live anymore, and I hoped he would make it to the next visit.
I also could not believe that a Dr. Joseph Nassir had been sending bills to Medicare and prescribing medication even though Mel had never seen this primary doctor.
Mel, is what I wrote accurate. __________ Date ______
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