As I Sit Here

As I sit here at my desk, at the nurses station, I begin to recognise little things about my residents that make them so unique. My mind should not wander so much, as i am trying to utilize my time to do school work, but it seems I have little control over it considering I deal with them all night. Ron was a strong man in his youth. Still young in his 60's, he is physically challenged due to numerous strokes. So to get his way he uses sympathy. He uses sympathy to get attention also. So rather than play his sympathetic, wow es me games, I enjoy an intellectual challenge. Stimulating his mind keeps him from talking baby talk to me, and makes him think of new ways to sound as smart as what he believes he once was. This makes him a happy man. Like all men, he loves to be asked advise. Martin is a very lonely man. He visits his wife in the nursing home and loves her just as much now as when they first got married. i will cry the day that she passes, I will shed tears for this man and his loss. His dreams are very real to him. Rather than looking for sympathy to get attention, he will just talk to you. I imagine him as a striking man in his youth, a lot of fun to be around, very genuine family man. His wife is a lucky women. Wanda is giving up. Her husband says she was never much of a fighter, he believes that is why she is acting the way she is. Rather than being proactive about the new occurrences her body is having, she simply just begs of more help. Doc is a sweet old sole who hates to be spoken to as if he were a child. He drinks in excess, but always offers a smile and advise. he loves children. He was a family practitioner in his younger days. Turns out one of our other residents know him, she was once his nurse! You can only imagine the storied that were spun from the other care givers and residents once this was made public. Esther is my fightsy fighter. She is one of our oldest residents, well into her 90's, but more independent than those younger than her. She is very stuck in her ways, and still loves to talk about men. She told me a story once of when she was younger. She went to a party and was giving away free camels cigarette's. She says she was about eleven at that time. She is a beautiful women. Her husbands were lucky to have her.
   I wonder how I will be when I get older. Will i be like Mrs. Brown and be a happy go lucky, passive older women to is pleased to do as needed. Or will I be like Alli, fighting the whole way, believing things are the way i see them, through my Alzheimer's eyes.

Sincerely,
JD