January 29, 2016

My favorite memory of Sylvia was when I started as a personal care assistant at the personal care home where she was living prior to going into the hospital a few weeks ago. It was my first job in healthcare, and I was nervous. It was the second shift then I was assisting residents in wheelchairs who had to be wheeled to and from dinner. That plus helping serve where is all that I was expecting to do during that time frame. When I went to take Sylvia back to her room, she asked me “am I safe?” I wasn’t sure what she meant and I probably had a puzzled look on my face, so I asked her what do you mean? She replied, “Have you ever undressed a woman?” I was probably turning red, and I replied, “only my wife.” She laughed and there was another, more experienced personal care assistant nearby who she looked at and said I’ll take this one and smiled. From then on as I gained experience and later became any medication technician, we became close friends. She would often ask me if I could make the time to come and sit with her or take her outside. And on those occasions we would talk about her love of Jesus, how God was bringing her closer and closer to him, and how much she missed the people of North Carolina. I had the opportunity to visit her in the hospital last Friday and Saturday and then this past Monday. My wife was able to go with me this past Saturday. I felt blessed when she told one person I was a very close friend. I felt the same way too. It was easy to fall in love with Sylvia once you got to know her.

January 23, 2016

Sylvia was a dear friend.  Our condolences and deepest sympathies for her family.   Jim and Jane Reem