Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Spots...

936 Spots on the carpet at the nursing home...a woman who is on the assisted living side of the nursing home has had an accident.  The CNA and I help her clean up and change clothes.  A proud woman smiles and accepts the help offered, but she is confused.  Dementia...a world where the past memories are strong, but the new memories fade quickly.  I'm glad to have had the chance to talk with and coach this woman into accepting her new apartment, her new surroundings, and the new people who are her neighbors and helpers.

937 Spots in a woman's eyes...another patient is legally blind.  She has cloudy looking eyes.  She likely see spots of things.  She hears me, but she cannot read or clearly make out her surroundings.  She, too, has dementia.  Another lady who can only hold new information for 30-60 seconds before...poof...it is gone.  I like working with this one, she is kind too, and she laughs about her memory.

938  Spots on a shirt.  Another lady I worked with today had dripping of breakfast/lunch all down her nice blue shirt.  She didn't seem to mind or notice, and neither did I really mind either.  This one, too, also has dementia.  She's 93 so you may expect some memory failings by this point...funny thing is her and her 99 year old husband were living alone up until a few months ago when she had a bad fall.  Now they are both in the nursing home, and unfortunately on separate sides.  Her husband is more spry and independent despite his older age so he's on the assisted living side while my patient, his wife, is on the skilled care side.  Spots of time escape her, but she still has spots of time with her husband near by for visits.

939  Spots of weakness.  One of my other female patients has spots of weakness in her face and neck due to a second stroke.  She thankfully recovers well, and she is of clear cognition.  Frustrations mount though as she strives to regain her facial symmetry and decrease her slurred speech.

940  Spots of hope.  My one male patient at the moment is a ray of sunshine!  He is eating by mouth now instead of being tube fed...I spoke of him previously in my blog.  His nurses, wife, and I rejoice in the decreased need for his tube feedings and increase in his alertness and desire to eat and drink!  Yeah for thickener and teaspoons!  Easy does it.  Slow and steady.  He is doing well thus far!

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