Being Kind to the Screamer

It really isn't in my nature to be mean -- well, not on a continual basis anyway. I have been listening to the trials and tribulations of the screamer. She wears a diaper, can't get out of bed by herself, has an insulin pump, is covered with bedsores, and just got a UTI. I believe if you are diabetic, you know your body well, and last night she was trying to tell them something and finally said, "I am at your mercy" and that really hit home with me.

All she wants is that she get her antibiotic at the same time she gets her meal or else she gets nauseous, and they wouldn't do it... well, no, not that they wouldn't do it, but no one cared enough to do it.

This morning, I awaken to her arguing with the aide who wakes her up at 5 am to see if she wants her diaper changed and she didn't and she resents being awakened which I understand and she just blurted out, "leave me alone" which I can sympathize with.

Then she realized she lost this address book. Oh, she also has bad vision so when someone comes in the room she doesn't recognize them and has to ask who it is. The aide couldn't care less about her address book and she's fretting about it because someone is taking care of her cat and that person's phone is in the address book. So I get out of bed and I ask her about the book and start looking for it. I'm looking through her bedsheets, under the bed, in her drawers (with her permission) and I find it. She was so damn grateful. At one point, she thought she had dropped the book in PT, and she asked them to investigate that and the aide said the nurse would call but we both knew that wouldn't happen.

I gave her the book -- and then asked her if she has her name in it and she didn't so I wrote her full name and room number and cellphone number in it.

OK, so the screamer and I will not be fast friends, but I am trying. She has a rough path here. I had to laugh because she told me I have "beautiful clothes" and was feeling good for a second or two until I realized she has low vision. I do have colorful clothes so she probably sees this blob of pink or whatever.