Please keep in mind that I missed the brunt of everything - but this is exactly what was happening at 3:03 p.m. (Mountain Standard Arizona Pacific Daylight Savings Time) during the brief 22 minutes that I spent in-house.
My neighbor and friend (Dora) was borderline hysterical, calling out my name repeatedly in the midst of another panic attack, because… Room 123 had been crying out all day long, as though someone was repeatedly murdering her, which in turn kept Dora on edge, physically exhausted, and exceedingly paranoid.
In the past two weeks, the escalation of Room 123's calling out and freaking out has been ever increasing, by volume and frequency.
Meanwhile, not very far away (at the nurses station), an angry resident from Room 106 spent the entirety of her time yelling at the nursing staff, explaining how she was going to get everybody fired (among other threats). It was a non-stop (and possibly never ending) tirade. Not only was this woman fully coherent and mentally functioning, she was also mean and cruel as hell.
Then of course, there's old man in Room 124. I missed that action. Directly. But he lost it as well, becoming over-the-top angry because Room 123 wouldn't shut the hell up. So he viciously attacked the nurse on duty. Verbally, I mean. He attacked her ethics. Her ethnic standing. Yep, you name it, and it got attacked.
And sure, all of these things are terrible, but what sent me back outdoors for the rest of the evening was the neighbor across the hallway in room 120. She's not deaf, just angry. And not only does she yell at the staff members just the same, she listens to Fox News (24/7) at obscene volumes. Her husband spends much of the day visiting with her, keeping her company, and making requests. Of course, he enjoys the same obscene volume levels.
I guess Room 120 had a stroke. She's not that old. And he's not either. But clearly, they are both angry or dissatisfied about something. Probably their own lives.
So it wasn't just the 22 minutes of disintegration that was in question, it was earlier, as well - long before the sun rose Dora was crying out for help, my help. That set the table, apparently.
So for me personally, I spent all my time outdoors basking in the glory of Arizona's winter sun. Due to the legality of it all, I can't tell you where I went, and what I did, but rest assured, I went far enough away to escape the bad vibes.
Mind you, it was a lot worse for the nursing staff and it was for me. I had the ability to escape. They did not. So they cried. Now and again. They tried to hold back their tears, but failed. The number of dementia patients now residing in our non-dementia unit is troubling, but it's the fully coherent residents, the ones who are just plain mean, that make things borderline impossible. At least, that's how the nurses assess the situation. That's when it hurts most, the vicious attacks. And I don't know how these nurses put up with these sorts of things.
Although yesterday was an outlier, the nurses and other staff members mentioned that this was the worst day ever. And I would concur, based on my nearly year and a half here at the nursing home.
Giving (Almost)
I was going to sneak off to Walgreens and purchase small gifts for the two nurses, something to ease their pain and sorrow. Their sadness. But at the time I was too discombobulated to process properly, and I couldn't come up with something to get them. And then afterwards, it occurred to me - I could have purchased a couple of Hallmark cards. You know, something to acknowledge their pain and suffering.
So yeah, I tried to cheer one of them up. Or at least, let her talk out her piece. And she started crying while she was talking to me. It really sucked. At least she's off today. It's time for her to recover.
Now It's Today
The registry CNA came barging into my room, despite the sign on my door requesting that no one barge into my room until after 8:00 a.m. But these days, people cannot read. So I think I'll have to decorate my door in emojis. Yes, emojis! I am flipping serious!
So if anyone can suggest the proper emojis that would indicate my wish and desire not to be disturbed between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. please submit your ideas and/or answers.
Last night's CNA kept coming into my room without even knocking on my door. And it's not like I was doing anything to be embarrassed about, or anything particularly private, but I do appreciate a knock. And when she came in, the first and only thing she said was "what do you want?"
Yes, clearly I was bothering her. I bothered her twice within the same shift. The details don't matter much, but what the hell, right?
Eh, I won't go on complaining. I won't go on complaining despite the fact that they closed off the shower room across the hallway from me (so they could put that politically obsessed nut ball in the room across the way). Now our entire unit needs to share the shower located in Unit Two. And so you know, I think they're official designation is Sunset.
Without going into details, it took me an hour and a half to get into the shower yesterday. Of course, I have a solution to the problem. Perhaps I'll explain later. When I feel like it. If I feel like it.
Agenda
It's going to be 75 perfectly beautiful degrees here in the desert today. And also tomorrow. So I shall be out there, exclusively. Roaming. Or perhaps, stationary. It's the weekend. I'm going to do what I want to do.
On Sunday I'll be going to Walmart to pick up my prescription glasses. I made my official request to be allowed off-property back on Tuesday (via email), and no one has responded. And no one has responded to my previous five off-property requests. I'm really not sure what that means, but I keep going to my off property destinations and nobody says anything. I almost feel as though they are allowing me off-property in order to give me enough rope to hang myself. Is that the Loose Noose Theory?
Or perhaps they've decided to let me do as I please, choosing to look the other way. Maybe they're afraid I'm going to leave, and they'll lose revenue. Really, I don't know, and I don't care. As long as I can do what I need to do.
Either way, today will be a better day, for all parties involved. Unless some of the parties die. Then again, these individuals would no longer be suffering.
Everything Ends
Take care,
Howard
My neighbor and friend (Dora) was borderline hysterical, calling out my name repeatedly in the midst of another panic attack, because… Room 123 had been crying out all day long, as though someone was repeatedly murdering her, which in turn kept Dora on edge, physically exhausted, and exceedingly paranoid.
In the past two weeks, the escalation of Room 123's calling out and freaking out has been ever increasing, by volume and frequency.
Meanwhile, not very far away (at the nurses station), an angry resident from Room 106 spent the entirety of her time yelling at the nursing staff, explaining how she was going to get everybody fired (among other threats). It was a non-stop (and possibly never ending) tirade. Not only was this woman fully coherent and mentally functioning, she was also mean and cruel as hell.
Then of course, there's old man in Room 124. I missed that action. Directly. But he lost it as well, becoming over-the-top angry because Room 123 wouldn't shut the hell up. So he viciously attacked the nurse on duty. Verbally, I mean. He attacked her ethics. Her ethnic standing. Yep, you name it, and it got attacked.
And sure, all of these things are terrible, but what sent me back outdoors for the rest of the evening was the neighbor across the hallway in room 120. She's not deaf, just angry. And not only does she yell at the staff members just the same, she listens to Fox News (24/7) at obscene volumes. Her husband spends much of the day visiting with her, keeping her company, and making requests. Of course, he enjoys the same obscene volume levels.
I guess Room 120 had a stroke. She's not that old. And he's not either. But clearly, they are both angry or dissatisfied about something. Probably their own lives.
So it wasn't just the 22 minutes of disintegration that was in question, it was earlier, as well - long before the sun rose Dora was crying out for help, my help. That set the table, apparently.
So for me personally, I spent all my time outdoors basking in the glory of Arizona's winter sun. Due to the legality of it all, I can't tell you where I went, and what I did, but rest assured, I went far enough away to escape the bad vibes.
Mind you, it was a lot worse for the nursing staff and it was for me. I had the ability to escape. They did not. So they cried. Now and again. They tried to hold back their tears, but failed. The number of dementia patients now residing in our non-dementia unit is troubling, but it's the fully coherent residents, the ones who are just plain mean, that make things borderline impossible. At least, that's how the nurses assess the situation. That's when it hurts most, the vicious attacks. And I don't know how these nurses put up with these sorts of things.
Although yesterday was an outlier, the nurses and other staff members mentioned that this was the worst day ever. And I would concur, based on my nearly year and a half here at the nursing home.
Giving (Almost)
I was going to sneak off to Walgreens and purchase small gifts for the two nurses, something to ease their pain and sorrow. Their sadness. But at the time I was too discombobulated to process properly, and I couldn't come up with something to get them. And then afterwards, it occurred to me - I could have purchased a couple of Hallmark cards. You know, something to acknowledge their pain and suffering.
So yeah, I tried to cheer one of them up. Or at least, let her talk out her piece. And she started crying while she was talking to me. It really sucked. At least she's off today. It's time for her to recover.
Now It's Today
The registry CNA came barging into my room, despite the sign on my door requesting that no one barge into my room until after 8:00 a.m. But these days, people cannot read. So I think I'll have to decorate my door in emojis. Yes, emojis! I am flipping serious!
So if anyone can suggest the proper emojis that would indicate my wish and desire not to be disturbed between 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. please submit your ideas and/or answers.
Last night's CNA kept coming into my room without even knocking on my door. And it's not like I was doing anything to be embarrassed about, or anything particularly private, but I do appreciate a knock. And when she came in, the first and only thing she said was "what do you want?"
Yes, clearly I was bothering her. I bothered her twice within the same shift. The details don't matter much, but what the hell, right?
Eh, I won't go on complaining. I won't go on complaining despite the fact that they closed off the shower room across the hallway from me (so they could put that politically obsessed nut ball in the room across the way). Now our entire unit needs to share the shower located in Unit Two. And so you know, I think they're official designation is Sunset.
Without going into details, it took me an hour and a half to get into the shower yesterday. Of course, I have a solution to the problem. Perhaps I'll explain later. When I feel like it. If I feel like it.
Agenda
It's going to be 75 perfectly beautiful degrees here in the desert today. And also tomorrow. So I shall be out there, exclusively. Roaming. Or perhaps, stationary. It's the weekend. I'm going to do what I want to do.
On Sunday I'll be going to Walmart to pick up my prescription glasses. I made my official request to be allowed off-property back on Tuesday (via email), and no one has responded. And no one has responded to my previous five off-property requests. I'm really not sure what that means, but I keep going to my off property destinations and nobody says anything. I almost feel as though they are allowing me off-property in order to give me enough rope to hang myself. Is that the Loose Noose Theory?
Or perhaps they've decided to let me do as I please, choosing to look the other way. Maybe they're afraid I'm going to leave, and they'll lose revenue. Really, I don't know, and I don't care. As long as I can do what I need to do.
Either way, today will be a better day, for all parties involved. Unless some of the parties die. Then again, these individuals would no longer be suffering.
Everything Ends
Take care,
Howard
