Mason shows tender loving care
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“We were going to church one Sunday morning,” Ken said. “We got within 300 yards of the building and she commenced to slapping on the glass of the car and said, ‘Something’s wrong.’ She was kicking her foot too.”
Ken rushed her to the hospital.
“I drove 100 mph going down the bypass,” Ken said. “I had her there in 10 minutes.”
Once at River Park, a physician examined her and gave Ken bad news. Evelyn had suffered a stroke, and in that moment, their lives changed forever. Things were serious enough at one point the attending physician advised Ken to notify their children. But much to his relief, not long after that Ken was told Evelyn was going to survive.
“She was in the hospital about 30 days,” Ken said. “Then in rehab. It was terrible the first month we were home.”
Early on Evelyn was essentially incapacitated, but over the years has recovered some skills.
“She can dress herself,” Ken said. “She can’t get her clothes out. I get them and lay them on the couch and she puts them on. She can do that pretty good. She can write her name now, she used to couldn’t do that. She’s made a whole lot of progress, but she’s not able to take care of herself.”
As with any type of cerebral injury, there were times Evelyn was not herself.
“It was hard at first,” Ken said. Part of the struggle was taking on an entirely new set of responsibilities. Like many couples, Ken and Evelyn had always divided up the chores.
“I didn’t even know my pants size,” Ken said. “I’d never paid a monthly bill or nothing. She had a pretty good education and she always took care of that.”
Ken, who cut timber and worked as a welder for 30 years, is now retired and the couple lives in the Jacksboro area. They have been married 56 years. Both Ken and Evelyn also worked as newspaper carriers for the Southern Standard for many years, 14 for Evelyn and eight for Ken.
One of the things that has made things better for Ken is the adult daycare at the Senior Center. Evelyn has been going to the facility for around four years, which gives Ken a break and gives Evelyn a chance to interact with others. Ken brings her five days a week from around 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Though caregiving is a major commitment, Ken says he doesn’t mind.
“I don’t know how to put it into words,” Ken said. “I just feel like it’s my God-given responsibility to try to help take care of her. I feel like I took her for better or worse and I’m going to take care of her. I surely am.
“I told somebody recently, ‘Well, she took care of me for 50 years, it’s my turn to take care of her now.’ And that’s what I’m going to do.”
November is officially National Caregivers Month which was established as a time to honor caregivers around the nation. To celebrate that event, and to provide support and information, the Senior Center of McMinnville and Warren County, located at 809 Morrison Street, will be hosting its third annual town hall meeting this Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. The meeting will be attended by legislators, or their representatives, including U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis, state Reps. Judd Matheny and Charles Curtiss and state Sen. Jerry Cooper.
The public is invited to attend and will receive information, and hear personal stories, about the many difficulties, as well as the rewards, of caregiving.