Monday, May 11, 2009

Monday Nuggets

We had a new resident move in last week and I don't think she's shut up since she got here. I'm not kidding, this woman defies description. Chatterbox, Mouth of the South, or even Windbag don't even come close to painting the picture. I have never in my life heard a person talk so much but say so little....I'm not sure when she breathes!! It's unbelievable. To make matters worse, she has this incredibly grating and squeaky old lady voice that reminds me of a cross between a munchkin and the witch in Snow White. It's bad. Really, really bad. Other residents avoid her and won't let her sit at their lunch table, Gladys has actually gotten up and walked away from her, and I have a headache because she's been sitting outside my office door all afternoon. I have a feeling she might be the subject of future posts....

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Pearl isn't coming home. After the episode involving her weapons of mass destruction, she was admitted to a geriatric behavioral unit and they have informed us her dementia has progressed to the point she needs to be in a secured facility (specifically for dementia patients). I know it is what she needs, but I'm sad I won't be seeing her great big purse parked outside my office anymore. I might even miss being threatened with the meat tenderizer, too.

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We lost a resident this morning. Obviously this is a really hard part of the job and I'm always sad when someone dies. While I feel terrible for her family, today, for her...I feel joy. This woman had been married to her husband for 70 years. They got married nine days after they met because they were so in love with each other. You could see the love they shared, by the way they looked at each other, spoke to one another, or how one would put out a steadying hand for the other. I've read articles about Broken Heart Syndrome in which spouses die in rapid succession. I believe it to be a very real thing. This resident was not ill and had no underlying medical conditions, but her husband died two weeks ago. Tragic for the family, but yet a beautiful and poetic ending to their love story. Incredible.

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I haven't talked much about my marathon training, but it's getting down to crunch time. Today I am exactly five weeks and five days away from Grandma's Marathon. I ran a successful 21-miler on Saturday, at a pace that would make me a very happy runner on marathon day if I were able to sustain it for those last 5.2 miles. It's a strange event, though, and who knows? I'm just putting it out there that someday I hope to say I ran a marathon in four-something, because that sounds waaaaaaay faster than five-something. My IT band is aggravated again, but I'm going to yoga and stretching, stretching, stretching. I think I can limp it along.

6 comments:

Carolina John said...

i hear ya broken heart syndrome. kelley's grandparents were married 63 years and died 90 seconds apart.

get this he was in a nursing home for 6 years with declining health. we all expected him to pass sometime. She never missed a single day going to sit with him. in 6 years, not a single day.

he passed in the middle of the night. literally 90 seconds later she burst a brain anurysm (sp?) and went unconcious, died the next day. We had a double funeral for them. that was maybe 5 years ago. i guess they just couldn't live without the other one. She was in perfect health, just got a physical maybe a week before they died. it's amazing how these things happen.

Amy - the gazelle said...

I'm sad we won't be hearing any more stories about Pearl, but hopefully she will get the increasing care she'll need.

I know that when my grandmother dies, my grandfather will join her soon. They've been married for almost 65 years, and he always said when he met her, that he knew right away they'd end up married.

You are going to ROCK your marathon! And then you should sign up for the Milwaukee Lakefront marathon, because I think that's going to be my first! (10/4)

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

These residents are lucky to have you, little sis.

I'd have to strangle that chatty cathy new resident.

I wouldn't be able to take it.

Diana said...

Gonna miss the Pearl stories for sure! Best of luck to her!
Gotta agree with the broken heart syndrome...I don't think you have to married a long time to fit the bill though. It's a deep love that never gets over by some.

P.O.M. said...

I can't imagine how much you'll miss Pearl. I know we will all miss her antics.

Take care!

Sarah said...

Man, a rough couple of days there. So sad for Pearl - hopefully her journey ends without hurting herself. . .so I think my friend's mom could easily be the new chatty kathy! I have never met a woman who cannot handle one second of silence. Super annoying! Good luck!