Opinion – Front Line: Jeremiah’s passion

An elderly man arrived in the SAMU ambulance straight from the long-stay institution for the elderly in which he resided, he had respiratory failure, probably attributed to bacterial pneumonia.

With dementia, Jeremiah could not tell his story. It was up to Aedo, his caretaker, to narrate us. Before any clinical detail, an almost love affair.

Jeremias was from the Pernambuco hinterland. Boy, did he make an engagement with Gracinha, all worded, wedding planned, trousseau prepared. On the day of the wedding, the groom did not show up, he took a ride on a truck heading to São Paulo, never heard from again.

Jeremiah was not a goat for compromise. He lived the adventure he wanted. He drank, danced and young, until old age and chronic illness, especially dementia, made him unable to care for himself.

The neighbors, with the support of the social worker from the basic health unit, managed to get a place in an institution that welcomed him.

On the day of his arrival at his new home, the first person who saw him was Mrs. Maria das Graças.

Bastard! It was just like that: dis-gra-ça-do. She, who is in the institution for a motor problem, but has her mind intact, told us.

It was this son of a bitch who ended it all. Infamous!

Jeremias was out of his mind, but not so much, he continued to be flirtatious, he offered some flower that he picked up from the ground, Dona Graça never received.

Swallow!

These days, he became quieter, not wanting to eat anything, with fever and shortness of breath. He tested for coronavirus: negative. It dawned blue. We called the ambulance.

Dona Graça insisted on looking at the man in that agony.

It’s today that this bullshit pays me!

When Jeremias was placed in the ambulance and the siren went on, Graça began to water her eyes and sob.

Why do you cry?

It’s a pity for this convict. It just hurts. No love. God forbid!