Stress Events In The Ramirez Family

Stressor Event The death and illness of Jose generated many years of financial, physical, and emotional stress in the Ramirez family. As I interviewed each family member they all had similar non-verbal cues. They looked down frequently, sadness evident in their faces. Millie and Allie became emotional at times. It was interesting to note although some of their feelings in response to the stress were similar, other feelings were unique. For example, Lisa had a difficult time when her father was at Loma Linda and she was unable to visit him every day. Millie experienced the financial strain of being the sole bread winner and being responsible for the numerous medical costs associated with Jose’s care. Zeke’s frustration came in the form of the day to day care of his father, getting him dressed and undressed, making sure his prosthetic leg was on properly, and trying to see to his every comfort. Because Jose was not always cooperative this tried Zeke’s patience.

The first area is making meaning of adversity. Lisa admitted to feeling alone at times, but for the most part there was a strong sense of coherence and trust. One coping mechanism was Millie used was counseling with her children about their father’s care. A powerful example of this came late one evening when Jose insisted on being taken to the emergency room. He felt something was wrong and wanted to go immediately. Millie felt it might be a wasted trip but consulted Allie about what they should do. Allie felt that because he was so insistent that he would not be satisfied until his wishes were met. The ambulance came and later that night Jose passed away. Millie was grateful she listened to her daughter because she felt at peace knowing that they made every effort to preserve his life. The crisis they endured was a shared event (p.