Afterthought

[my_palimpsest]

Checking on Theresa during rounds was an afterthought. After nearly a year working on this floor of the Alzheimer's home, I knew that Theresa never needed tending to at this hour. She had only just gone to bed

Comments

[nyxocity]

This is such a touching, poignant story. I suppose it would be easy to forget that people in this state weren't always so. I'm glad you got to have that moment with her.

[thaliontholwen]

Lovely story. When she wasn't semi-lucid (as in, she knew something/someone kinda-sorta) my grandmother turned into a mean, nasty person under the influence of Alzheimers. Knowing how hard it was for us to take care of her, I know it must have been equally difficult for the people at her nursing home to care for her too.

Thank you for what you do.

[my_palimpsest]

Oh, I've had some really difficult patients, ones that you had a hard time finding sympathy for. What helped me in those situations was remembering that, for the most part, negative behaviors are based on fear. Imagine waking up not knowing where you are, surrounded by people who you can't remember. Scary stuff. I'd probably be difficult in that situation as well.

[majesticzaichik]

Wonderful entry. I liked the juxtaposition of the hilarious and the touching. My grandma has Alzheimers and is in a nursing home. She's not that senile yet, just bit senile. Senile enough to get up in the middle of the night and wait for the bus to go to the dentist. Every time I go there, I want to hit myself for being amused at all the antics. "That man doesn't have his pants on... why is that woman yelling 'help me!'?" I wheel her around there, going outside with her and get to see a lot of things.

[my_palimpsest]

The antics are really amusing. It's part of what kept me in the job for as long as I did it.

[wyliekat]

Oh now this is powerful. Really, really well done.

[snarkerdoodle]

Fabulously done, and with a message that needs to be remembered more. Lovely.