What on earth could have made Mac wake up or sleep walk and talk - saying There is a peanut, with nothing in it...we must get it....." nothing i could say would make him stay in bed, he was out to get that peanut...putting his slippers on and yanking all the covers off the bed, (while I'm yanking them back on and saying, pleeeze pleeze get back to bed)....finally he got back in, only to get up again, this time more urgently, "we must get that - the peanut has nothing in it and it's going to burn' - 'not to worry, it won't burn - i said with an edge to my voice..but that of course doesn't get through to him in this state, and so it went up and down from the bed....blankets on blankets off. This all started about 11;00 pm. continuing on and off till 3;00 a.m.
I've been trying to think of what causes this business - i.e. sleepwalking and talking...one thing is that our preposee who got him ready for bed last night came in - most agitated ...pouring perspiration and showing me her soaking wet shoes socks and edges of her slacks...apparently a man in Tower A. sat on the toilet and - BROKE IT....causing water etc. to flow all over the floor...she and a nurse quickly took blankets and sheets towels and whatever they could to try to stop the flow...till finally they got someone - apparently a handy man, the janitor not on duty Sunday night....and so there she was practically crying..saying she had 7 more people to get ready for bed after she finished with mac - and her shoes were soaken....Well lucky for her we wear almost same size shoe so i lent her my runners and socks...put her's on the baseboard heater to dry....so this was the scenario before bedtime...so perhaps he was feeling the agitation - who knows...
This evening, while trying to get someone - mainly another preposee to help my friend the one with all the infirmities - i.e. rheumatoid arthitis, can hardly move with her shapeless hands and frozen inplace legs - in her wheelchair) there she was poor Muriel sitting in her own excrement for about 1/2 an hour till fnally got someone there - total time one hour i managed to ask the night nurse. while running around for the preposee .for some idea of what I should do.re mac's problem....he was completely unable to give me any kind of idea other than to suggest i give him an adivan..sic ...so i said could he bring one to me before bedtime, - yes he would...well it's now 10;05 no adivan and mac is in bed and sleeping...so guess i will phone but i'm wondering if I should take a chance ...i'd like to know just how it reacts with the kind of meds Mac already takes before bedtime..
We have been reading about the abuse in elder homes, but it seems to be everywhere and i think it's partly because the places do not have enough staff...my friend muriel told me she had a harder time getting bathroom help at the lakeshore General Hospital...apparently in this place it happens but not all the time, but there it was par for the course...yikes...
We have a new resident whose two sons are so caring, and they were telling me that the nurse would take their dad's blood pressure every morning for about a week the first week, now he doesn't bother...they wanted to know if mac had his done...'No - but then they never did in the first place..their dad is on the 2n'd floor, and really wanting to go home...his name is Tony...they want Mac to be a friend to Tony...it's not working at present..but will try again tomorrow. The son said to me 'I love this guy (his dad) to bits, and can't stand to see him alone with all the people staring in space on the 2nd floor...' well that's the way, both Tony and Mac are but we talk to them, don't leave them alone, and I know to many, Mac must appear to be just a body sitting there..because that's the way I felt about Tony, till i started to try different questions and wait for something to make him pick up and take note and then answer -
This is such a sad situation...I hear more and more disheartening stories...and I'm so wondering how it must be for those who do not have the wherewithall to put their loved ones in a place like this where we do have help-it's not the same for everyone...Tony for instance is in a wheelchair, can't eat solid food, is in diapers, but is fairly perky....others can walk, but can't talk, can eat anything and others have to be fed...and so it goes..but
all have the big A...all have families..but I can only notice about 5 families out of all the people with the big A. here that come on a regular basis and talk, walk, and try to stimulate their loved one...i remember when my cousin at 90 had the big A. I thought when i visited, well not much point in coming - she really doesn't know me, well now I know better and it's so important for their morale, and one can really see a difference when a person takes their time - talks normally and demonstates some interest in the patient with A...as certainly our table mates at dinner have gotten more response from mac than anyone, and with some really kind of insulting comments, but i guess it's better than being ignored...well - not going to ignore Mac now myself, will get to bed and hope the darn nurse does not come with the pill and wake me up....g'nite..
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