We want to continue to share with you the stories behind some of the faces of TRU. This year’s focus is on a few of our staff and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to care for our community during the pandemic. and today we feature TRU CNA, Tim Lopez.
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| As a young man, I had an accident while working on a dairy farm that landed me in the hospital with severe burns. While there, I was inspired to pursue a career in health care and have been working in the field on and off for nearly 30 years. |
As a CNA, my job is to help patients with activities of daily living – like bathing, grooming, toileting, eating, and moving. But I also see it as my job to make them laugh. I’m here to make somebody happy and to make their dying process as comfortable as I can. I’m here to help people through this journey.
When I meet a new patient I ask, “Where are you from and how did you get here?” I love getting to know them as people. I recently lost a patient I’d gotten really close to. It hurt so much when he passed away that I questioned if I could keep doing this work. I talked to his son about a week after and he made me feel so good about what we do. He kept me going.
During COVID, I’ve worked at a senior living facility with strict limitations on visitors. I see families standing outside of first-floor windows talking to their loved ones and I think, “What about the people on the second floor?” It has to be so hard on them. It’s been nine months like this.
It’s hard for me when I see people not wearing masks and not doing their part. We wear our masks all day, every day, along with additional PPE. It’s hot and it’s uncomfortable, but it’s part of taking good care of our patients and ourselves. I have my parents nearby; I have my grandkids; I have my wife. I need to stay safe and healthy, too.
What am I most thankful for? I’m thankful for work. Especially work at TRU. Of all the jobs I’ve ever had, I’ve never had anybody pat me on the back and tell me so often that I’m doing a good job the way the people at TRU do. Every time a patient’s family member sends in a note of thanks, I get a note from our CEO thanking me. I’ve never had so much affirmation and support.
