ME-as I go through this zany, marvelous, difficult experience called: "LIFE"!

  Yesterday was my Birthday! Though birthdays are generally happy occasions, I felt lost and sad. To explain, my precious mother, whom I love dearly and abundantly, is fighting for her life in a hospital. I visit my mother when I am able to but, it is difficult. It feel like a cutting blade severing every part of my insides, seeing what my dear mother is going through. I feel sadness and helplessness. My sister, whom has been a + support now cannot be. My sister is fighting lung cancer and is going through chemotherapy and radiation. Other family members have health challenges that take up much of their time and energy. Yesterday was my birthday and though I was experiencing pain, sadness and loneliness, my friends came through for me. My friend, Linda who has the same birthday as me, refused to allow me to dwell on such troubling issues. Linda, me and some of my friends at the VNA Assisted Living on Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville, Mass. celebrated our Birt...

  Life Is Tough Living with serious, life threatening medical illnesses is rough! Living with the knowledge of those you dearly love having serious, life threatening and grim medical illnesses, well, this all places me in a dark place that I never wanted to even enter. Exhaustion, pain and difficulties breathing are symptoms of my medical dilemma, and also with those I dearly love. Sickness, especially serious illnesses happens through no fault of myself, those I love, and all those who live with chronic illnesses. How do we handle this? Who do we go to when the pain gets so severe that moving becomes a crisis? How do we reassure those we love when pain, fatigue and exhaustion call the shots? How do we even sleep at night when we fixate over realistic thoughts that we may not wake up tomorrow? What do we do when we want to ask our healthcare professionals questions when we are scared of and/or don’t want the answers? What do we tell our family and friends? Wha...

  The Children & Evelyn Dear Friends, Yesterday, October 4, 2021, I experienced a marvelous surprise. A few of the children, whom I used to teach when Mass came to our building, came to visit me. Monica, a dear friend, brought 3 of her 5 children. Yes, there was Lucia, Joseph and Therese. Miriam and Grace were still in Daycare. It was a wonderful time in which the children enjoyed snacks and presents, in which I surprised them with. I love these children and I was grateful to Monica for bringing them. Until next time, my friends! With sincerity, love, prayers and gratitude, Evelyn (Pinto) October 5, 2021  

  Dear Friends, I have 99 neighbors and I love all of them. To explain, I live in one of the Visiting Nurse Association of Eastern Mass. Assisted and Senior Living Residences. Most of us are in our senior years. All of us have medical issues that require us to be here, at our residence and need assistance. My friends, though we have lived with the passing of close friends and closer family members, we truly live each day to the fullest. We eat our meals together, participate in the group activities that our residence provides and we even have a 6pm card game. All of us have known loss but, we continue and go on with our sometimes broken hearts. My fellow residents, who are genuine friends, know God, know friendship and we absolutely know love. Yes, my fellow residents at VNA Assisted Senior Living on Alewife Brook Parkway in Somerville, Mass. are truly the “Best Neighbors and Friends” anyone could ever have! With sincerity, love and gratitude, Evelyn Pinto Res...

Please, please get vaccinated! It's no longer a personal choice. The Delta variant is super spreading and affecting everyone! If you can't do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones! Get vaccinated so you won't endanger the children, some who are too young to get the vaccine. Get vaccinated for those of us have chronic health conditions, though vaccinated, if we do get the Delta variant, it can make us very sick and critically ill and which can possibly land us up in the hospital. Healthcare workers are working tirelessly, treating sick people, most of who are Covid-19 patients. Some of these sick and dying Covid-19 patients who are sick and dying from what could have been prevented if they had only gotten the Vaccine for Covid-19. Get vaccinated: Show your concern for others, for Humankind! And, if you think a mask is uncomfortable and against your freedom, try a ventilator! Get vaccinated and wear a mask wherever necessary! We will not have much o...

Dear Friends, It’s been a while since I’ve written a script, one that I would love to share with you. Whoever said that living in an advanced age was easy? Well, whoever was alleged to have said this must have been young and somewhat delusional! Getting older is not easy, my friends. It’s difficult and it’s a rollercoaster of a ride! Yes, I am fortunate to be alive at my age but, what usually comes with being older are more problems. My body doesn’t work as well as it did in my youth. I live with serious and life threatening health issues that capture much of my life. I am plagued with aches, moans and groans. The inside plumbing is usually not in working condition either. I have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma and Congestive Heart Failure to name a few. I also, because of my numerous health conditions, I live with chronic fatigue, chronic pain, a paralyzed diaphragm in my left lung, congestion causing me to be and feel sick, weak and exhausted much ...

Saying Good-Bye to Brittany Saying good-bye has always been difficult for me. Saying farewell to someone who has left an imprint on my heart is even more challenging. Today, we, the residents of the Visiting Nurse Association of Eastern Mass. Assisted Senior Living Residence had a Farewell Departure Dance and Movement Time with our intern, Brittany. Brittany has been an intern here, at our Assisted Senior Living Residence for several months. Brittany has led several Music and Movement groups, discussion groups and has done other various tasks in our Assisted Senior Residence. My favorite times spent with Brittany was when she worked at our Reception Desk from early morning until afternoon on weekend days. On many of these mornings, Brittany and I would have lively discussions and listen to fun music. We would also deliberate on her homework, where I would give her my answers to her homework questions and tell how I came to those conclusions. Brittany’s groups were fun, ...