Crusty Old Ladies

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 |

The other week at the hospital I took care of what we in the industry call a "pincher/biter". An old lady that takes every opportunity to act like a 3 yr old when her family is not around. If her daughters are there she is an angel. If not......watch out!! I decided to use my powers of persuasion and I only got pinched once and no attempted bites. Apparently this is like a record.

Two topics of conversation have come from this incident

1. As an old lady are you only a pincher/biter if you were one as a child?

2. How do you care for someone who tries to hurt you?

As to the first question......Apparently I will be a very passive old lady if this is true. I have never been prone to physical violence and due to my sister's surgeries when she was little I would literally sit there and let her beat on me so that I wouldn't hurt her. I do wonder about one of my cousins who was a notorious scratcher when she was little. We all got gouged by her claws at one point. I think I'm still a little bit afraid of her to this day. I would probably be less scared if she didn't have super long fake nails.

The second question makes me sad. As crusty as this old lady was....I kind of liked her. She was fiesty. I didn't appreciate being pinched but for some reason she made me laugh. Then I was at the hospital this week and taking care of other patients and I overheard some nurses talking about how they just couldn't stand her. It's totally understandable. Who wants to take care of someone who is not appreciative of the care? But at the same time.....it makes me feel for all of the elderly people with dementia who are probably pretty "unlovable" in the way they act. I know I've been very frustrated on occasion taking care of patients who try to fight you off while taking their blood pressure, etc. Actually taking the blood pressure isn't the worst part , but anyways... It's sad to think about. You really need your family to love you on the off chance you end up as a crusty old person. Cause if you end up as the hospital with no family....it's sad but true that you will probably get worse care.

Ok. Peace out. I totally have a fever today and this is the first moment I've been able to sit up and get to my computer. Literally. I feel too crappy to watch TV. Tragedy!!

See y'all on the flip side of the fever. Ick.

5 comments:

Rhia Jean said...

I was a scratcher when I was younger. It was my only defense against 3 older brothers and a younger sister. In fact, my sister has a scar on her hand that I so graciously gave her with my fingernails. And you know, when I am an old lady and all of these young whipper snappers are trying to poke me with needles and such, I'll probably scratch them too. :)

Alison said...

I only pray that I do not turn into one of those obnoxious old people that just up and cut in front of the line at the grocery store without asking. I always wanted to say to those people, "Seriously, you've been around longer than the rest of us, you should know better by now--RUDE! Besides, if you just ask me, I'll probably let you cut, 'cause you're a cute old person."

I did not bite or scratch as a child, but I did ruin furniture, run on roofs, and generally give my family a heart attack . . . so what will I do when I'm old?

Erica said...

Uhhhh Alison...how exactly did you ruin furniture? We're not talking like...peeing on it are we? Cause that's an old people thing too.

Alison said...

No, I was not peeing on the furniture! I was a kid, not a dog! Gee.

We'll just put it this way: nail polish, nail polish remover, and a four year-old. My mother was never able to restain that side table. Poor woman.

Erica said...

I understand all too well about the nail polish.....not me....my sister was the culprit in our house and a comforter was the victim.

Hmmm.....maybe a love of makeup will return and you will be a overly made up old lady?

When did this turn into Old Lady MASH? Not a problem as I HEART MASH.