One moment to turn the day around...

So today, I had to face one of my weaknesses. I always feel horrible admitting it, but I have a hard time working with the geriatric population. I don't know if I just don't like facing the reality of end of life issues, or what, but it's not my comfort zone. It's pretty much the last place I want to work. I love the babies. Even when they are screaming, or dirty, or sick, to me that's their appropriate developmental stage, so it's ok. When it's someone's grandparent, it just makes me sad and I have a hard time dealing with that. So when I saw that we were going to a care center for clinicals today, I got nervous. I do so much better with wounds, incisions, stitches, staples, blood, stuff like that. But care centers, adult diapers, grown up bibs and wheelchairs....like I said, I hate to admit how uncomfortable it makes me.

It was a rough day. I helped the CNAs get the residents up to the bathroom, showered, toileted, dressed, and fed. We spent the day doing that process over and over again. Some were fantastic and funny. Others were sad and angry. A few may or may not have taken some swings at us. Rightfully so, I'd say. I can't even imagine what it must be like to be in their heads, confused and wondering why some strange girls are taking them to the bathroom and changing their clothes.

Now, to understand my next little bit of the story, you have to remember my Psych background. I'm drawn to strange and unusual behaviors. So my favorite resident of the day was one of the ladies who fought us while we got her changed and dressed, who babbled more than spoke words, and basically had to be dealt with like a one year old. It made me sad, but there was something about her that drew me in, so I paid special attention to her throughout the day. She had pretty eyes and a cute smile when she thought something was funny. Once in a while a few words would slip through her gated mind, and there would be the slightest moment of clarity. Mostly I would talk to her, and she would smile and babble and motion with her hands. She was telling me a story, which made perfect sense to her, and it was obvious that I was the one with the communication problem.

The day dragged on and on, and just as I was counting down the last 30 minutes of my shift, I decided to help my new friend up from the lunch table. She was telling some story again, and I smiled and added my two cents in, even though I doubt my part had anything to do with her story. As we sat down on the couch, I reached over and put a blanket over her lap. Her eyes twinkled, she smiled and babbled something sweet, and then leaned over and gave me a little hug and kiss on the cheek.
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I hope that sometime in the future, whenever it may be and in whatever life, I'll be able to tell her that at that moment, she made my day.