Fallen Angel Fan Fic Chapter 9: Im Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket.

Jens Pov

Alex welcomes the crowd and introduces the guys. The band starts out with the song Jasey and leads into Baltimore. I am having a blast because I never would of guessed I would be watching this side stage. I am in a daze. “Wendy run away with me, I know it sounds crazy but its what you do to me.” Alex trails off singing. This song is my life coming true, I am actually running away with these guys my own super heroes. Alex plays more of my favorite songs and then he leads into another talk of how amazing the fans are and stuff. He leads into saying here is the last song Remembering Sunday. And all of a sudden Alex runs off stage for a moment and he is coming right towards me  and hands me a mic. I look at him and go “um whats this for?” Alex smiles at me and goes “you are going to sing the girl part at the end of the song” I am like “no no no I’m good I don’t need to be in the spot light.” Alex looks at me and goes “you’re on in 3 minutes.” Ok relax try not to freak out?! Next thing I know I hear the part leading into my cue I take a deep breath “here goes nothing…” I mumble under my breath. I walk out and sing my best “Im out of my mind can’t keep an eye on the world…” Alex finishes his part and we end the song. Everyone is going crazy. For all they know Im just the random chick back up singer. “Give it up for Jen everybody!” Alex Shouts and I wave embarrassed as ever. I run off stage and Im beat red and shaking oh no panic attack?!! Why am I freaking out though? I went on stage no problem. Im in the corner freaking out and trying to let this pass quickly. Andy runs over to me and is just beaming at me. “You were amazing they just loved you!” I look at him and I just have tears in my face and look like a hot mess. “Hey hey its ok why are you upset you were great. Why so sad?” Ok  how do you tell your idol that this is normal and you are just having an anxiety attack? One answer, you don’t but they will find out the truth anyways. “Do you need a minute? I understand. ” I nodded and told him to just give me a little space and I will regroup in a minute.

I collected myself and regrouped. I walk back to the side of the main stage and Vic from Pierce the Veil was getting his ear piece in and they were about to head off onto the stage. These guys are amazing! “Have a good show!” I waved and they smiled at me. What I really love most about their music is Vic writes the songs and they all have a personal touch to them. Im hooked on every word. Vic went through self harm and a lot of his songs tell his battle of it in the story of song. Dealing with it is one battle and then recovering from it is another one. Vic started playing one of my favorite songs, Bulletproof Love off the Selfish Machines album. When I was going through my break up with Jake this was my theme song especially the part in the bridge “This isn’t fair! Don’t you try to blame this on me! My love for you was bulletproof but your the one who shot me” I put up with a  lot of jakes crap and his cheating and gave up and broke up. I was singing along to every word. They finished their set and went back out for an encore and played my other favorite song, Hold On Till May. Crap I’m going to be in tears by the end of this song. I went right to the side of the stage where I was practically visible off stage balling my eyes out. “You’re just wasted and thinking bout the past again, Darling you’ll be okay.” I lost it and Vic came over to me while Jaime and Tony played their guitar solos and he hugged me and put his arm around me and he finished the song with him supporting me. It was so I don’t know how to describe it. How about sweet? Maybe thats the right way to describe it. I smiled and walked off stage with Vic and the guys.

Austin’s POV

Vic and the guys just came off stage after doing another kick ass show. I watch Jen, she looks lost. She’s beat red and has a tear stained face. I see her pick up a guitar and goes back out onto the stage and sits down. She is playing Wake me up When September Ends by Green Day. She is good. Real good. As I was watching her I was getting choked up. This girl has given herself all of these scars in just 9 months. Damn that is crazy shit. It reminds me when we met Rose, Jaime’s wife, same kind of story same kind of situation. Rose is home with their new born baby girl Emily. I walk over to Jen, “so who taught you to play guitar?” Almost startled she looks at me and smiles and then blushes and goes “I self taught” Man thats amazing I can sing but thats about it. “Same with the singing it comes naturally” She added. “well I think the tour gained a new performer, or maybe a few selected bands anyways” I smiled and nudged her  a bit. I really hope she stays and I hope she will now be happy. “Lets go grab a bite to eat.” and we head off to find some food.

February 25, 2017 by Elizabeth Maier

Hard not to get attached. CNA tales

Many of you know that my new path in life is that I am a certified nurses assistant (CNA). I love my job. But after this past week, I never really knew how much the job would take certain affects on me. Here is a  little story on what I do daily at work.

Many people have been in to see someone at a hospital or a nursing home and see the aids running around. We help people with their basic daily needs whether it is bringing them to the bathroom or helping them brush their teeth. And other ADL’s. What the second most important part of the job to me is getting to know my residents and hearing about their stories of growing up or what they did when they were my age. Most stories are pretty amazing. Many of the men where in the wars anywhere between WWII, Vietnam. And most of the women were all nurses, or didn’t work and stayed home and took care of the kids. Getting to know my residents puts a smile on your face when you can laugh and bring a smile to their face. One of the other great parts of my job is that not only do you get to know your residents, but you also get to know their family too. 

This past week at work one gentleman was sent to the hospital unexpectedly and was coming back for hospice care. This was a shock for my coworkers and I. He was fine just the other day. Now Ive been at my job for 6 months now which is hard to believe already. This gentleman was a family friend of my grandparents and his son does business with my dad and uncle. Getting to know this gentleman was important to me  when he first came to the nursing home I work at. Getting to know this gentleman was wonderful, after I told him who I was he remembered me. This man would tell me a few things about my grandparents stories that I hadn’t heard from my own family. The best part of all is that I was told by him and by many others the same thing, My grandfather had the best smile. And this man told me I had a smile just like him. And getting to know his kids was great.

Saturday when he returned from the hospital, I was there to help with the assistance to help transfer him into the bed. This was the first time that I have felt an emotional touch to my job. Other people have passed but I hadn’t had time to get to know them that much and it didn’t really affect me. While I was in the room with my coworker and the family I could feel my eyes getting watery and my nose sniffeling. I was sad. After the transfer was complete my coworker left the room and I just stood there for  a moment. I looked at his daughter and I hugged her and as she cried I couldn’t help but let the tears go myself. The family thanked me for everything that I did for them and for him, and told me that I was his favorite. Which made me tear up again. I had to get out of the room and recollect myself and get ready to start my shift. Monday the Lord called him home. 

This is the hardest part about my job. The part I don’t understand is why do the employers at my job tell us not to get attached? I mean, how can you not get attached to the people that you care for and help them with everything. Hold their hands or visit with them when they don’t get visitors. I believe they tell us not to get attached because they are there for life until the end. And we need to understand that the people are going to pass away. But I look at it this way, if we didn’t become attached and just said Im here to do my job and get paid then we would look like jerks. But if we say Im here to do my job and to enjoy my time with my residents while doing my job that would look like care and also caring too much and becoming attached? But they want us to give the best care. It is rather confusing. Just like they say don’t pick favorites, but you secretly do. This job is hard on the body, the mind, and most importantly the heart. And after this past week I have officially decided that I am going to go back to school and go for my RN. I don’t want to be in this type of position for the rest of my life. I care about my residents and now to see anyone pass will be a different experience than a few months ago. Getting my RN will bring bigger and brighter things and to chose a field in the Hospital where I know most of my patients will be able to go home 🙂

 

 

February 8, 2017 by Elizabeth Maier