Nurse Days

Monday, October 11, 1999

I was back at the nursing home today, but this time I took care of F.M. She was a bit of a challenge because she has a catheter, but I think I did okay.

All was well until I went to take her back to her room so I could empty her catheter bag and measure the urine inside. She was sitting in her wheelchair by the front door, looking outside, and she did NOT want to be moved! I tried to calmly explain to her that I had to empty her bag and that I would bring her back immediately...she wasn't going for it. I started wheeling her toward her room, and that's when all hell broke loose.

"I'm gonna get you in trouble!" she told me, and when I didn't stop she screamed, "Help! Help me!"

Ugh! I was mortified! She continued to scream and shout obscenities at me. I quickly did what I had to do and took her back out front as promised. 

Before I left for the day I approached her as she sat in the dining room. "Are you still mad at me?" I asked her. She took my hand and said, "Oh, it's not you, honey. It's her!" she said, pointing at my instructor! "She pissed me off. I hate being told what to do."

As I'm writing this now I have to laugh. I guess this just goes to show you that you can't take personally the things an Alzheimer's patient says to you. They don't realize they're saying them, and then they deny saying them at all!