Thoughts on Visiting the Sick

If my three volume set of Kenneth Kinghorn's modern translation of Wesley's Sermons ever arrives, then I would read in modern English John Wesley's thoughts on visiting the sick. However, for the time being I will share some thoughts about visiting the sick.

For the past seven days, other than a trip to the Doctor's office and the car ride home, I have been stuck at home with the flu. The Doctor told me I had Influenza A and it was 90% likely that I had H1N1 or as better known, Swine Flu. The prescription of care was simple--Tamiflu twice a day for five days and rest.

So for one week I was stuck at home. My father was nice enough to spend the weekend with me, but other than that I was alone most of the week. Being sick is no fun and being sick all alone doesn't make it better either. Phone calls, emails, and the text messages helped me feel connected to the world. A real person would have been nice. A real person in my presence would have made me feel really human. I think sickness tends to make a person, or at least me, feel subhuman.

A lot of people offered to help. They said if I needed help to call them. A few people told me they were going to help me. A kind lady brought me a big bowl of homemade soup, and good set of friends brought me Chinese food and some supper. Offering help is nice, but doing means a lot more. I knew I could call people to ask for help, but when people do for you without asking, that is really nice.

So if I was to suggest some rules for visiting the sick it would be this: call the person, and if possible visit the person. Don't simply make an offer of help, but help. Bring them something, clean something, make something. Just do something as a gesture of help.

Sick people need people.