The Old World…
The Old World…August 19, 2005
A couple of weeks ago I went with dad to go visit Big Daddy, who is now in a care facility in Corsicanna. He had pneumonia pretty bad and now has to go to physical therapy every day so that he can gain the strength to walk on his own again...hes almost there, but still needs help. Hes so independant, so I know its hard for him to be there and not at his house like he is used to. Sarah drove in with Nathan for the visit too so we got a nice visit in with him. It was a little surreal walking into the "old folks home" as I had never been in one before. The minute we walked in I observed nurses running around like crazy, elderly men and women in the hallways, either there because they wanted to take a walk, or there because thats how far they got in their wheelchairs before stopping for a nap. I heard a tiny voice off in the distance, very faint, but I could just make out what he was saying. "please get me out of bed, help me. Please get me out of my bed. Somebody come help me. Please get me out of bed..." every time someone walked by his room he repeated this sad, but twistedly funny, little cry for help. The nurses have become so numb to all the sounds and noises coming from the nurses station, and from the individual rooms occupied by people who depend on them. There seemed to be a constant beeping coming from the central station, where no nurses could be found. They are probably deaf to it by now, hearing it so often on a daily basis. We visited with Big Daddy for a little while while at the same time his roommate, a 96 year old man was being visited by his family as well. He was so deaf that Big Daddy could talk about him while he sat right next to him, and wouldnt know what he was saying to us. But the older man got around better than Big Daddy could, and hes about 10 years older! After about 20 minutes a man walked in, not very old but he was lost. He obviously had alshiemers, but seemed accepting of it. He exclaimed "well look who we have here" and grinned with a big wide smile at all of us. He looked at Big Daddy and his roomate and then decided this was'nt his room and told us so. Then he asked Big Daddy if he would go with him to the bathroom, and Big Daddy shook his head no and told him "not in here" and giggled at him. The nurse must have been looking for him and came in after him. He continued out the hall and went into every room until he found the one he belonged in. We could hear him every so often, repeat "look who we have here" and then a nurse would come in after him and tell him to apologise to the nice lady for barging in on her in her room. It was sadly amusing, and depressing at the same time. It made me not want to get old, ever. It made me want to take better care of my mind and body. I dont want to get old, But I know it is coming...and I cant stop it.
We got him to smile
A couple of weeks ago I went with dad to go visit Big Daddy, who is now in a care facility in Corsicanna. He had pneumonia pretty bad and now has to go to physical therapy every day so that he can gain the strength to walk on his own again...hes almost there, but still needs help. Hes so independant, so I know its hard for him to be there and not at his house like he is used to. Sarah drove in with Nathan for the visit too so we got a nice visit in with him. It was a little surreal walking into the "old folks home" as I had never been in one before. The minute we walked in I observed nurses running around like crazy, elderly men and women in the hallways, either there because they wanted to take a walk, or there because thats how far they got in their wheelchairs before stopping for a nap. I heard a tiny voice off in the distance, very faint, but I could just make out what he was saying. "please get me out of bed, help me. Please get me out of my bed. Somebody come help me. Please get me out of bed..." every time someone walked by his room he repeated this sad, but twistedly funny, little cry for help. The nurses have become so numb to all the sounds and noises coming from the nurses station, and from the individual rooms occupied by people who depend on them. There seemed to be a constant beeping coming from the central station, where no nurses could be found. They are probably deaf to it by now, hearing it so often on a daily basis. We visited with Big Daddy for a little while while at the same time his roommate, a 96 year old man was being visited by his family as well. He was so deaf that Big Daddy could talk about him while he sat right next to him, and wouldnt know what he was saying to us. But the older man got around better than Big Daddy could, and hes about 10 years older! After about 20 minutes a man walked in, not very old but he was lost. He obviously had alshiemers, but seemed accepting of it. He exclaimed "well look who we have here" and grinned with a big wide smile at all of us. He looked at Big Daddy and his roomate and then decided this was'nt his room and told us so. Then he asked Big Daddy if he would go with him to the bathroom, and Big Daddy shook his head no and told him "not in here" and giggled at him. The nurse must have been looking for him and came in after him. He continued out the hall and went into every room until he found the one he belonged in. We could hear him every so often, repeat "look who we have here" and then a nurse would come in after him and tell him to apologise to the nice lady for barging in on her in her room. It was sadly amusing, and depressing at the same time. It made me not want to get old, ever. It made me want to take better care of my mind and body. I dont want to get old, But I know it is coming...and I cant stop it.
We got him to smile
posted by Jenni at
6:45 PM
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