As many of you know, my non-Sikh husband died a couple months ago. While that was a heavy blow to me, it also freed me to keep reht maryada more strictly, which is meaningful to me.
Among other things, I have been keeping Amrit Vela. He was totally opposed to my getting up before dawn to pray - or for any other reason - as it inevitably woke him up. I really couldn't blame him. One problem has disappeared, but another has arisen.
I am not big on rules, but it seems to me that bathing before prayers is very basic.
As my physical condition has deteriorated, I am now needing help with things I used to be able to do on my own. Several times, I have nearly fallen in the shower; yesterday, I managed to catch myself on the side of the shower, but wrenched my shoulder quite badly. Because I am on blood thinners, any fall could be very serious. Even if I appear to be uninjured, I could bleed to death internally.
A caregiver comes in daily to help me. She is here for 4 hours, from 9 AM - 1 PM. Part of her job is to help me with such things and she is very willing to help me bathe. I would not ask her to come in hours before dawn, though; that is completely unreasonable.
It seems I have three choices:
- Do my Nitnem with a wash-up instead of a full bathing
- Do my Nitnem after she has helped me bathe
- Risk a fall and continue as I have
What would the SPN Sangat suggest?
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