Saturday, January 3, 2009

GOING DOWN ANYONE?

New Years Day has arrived and I am making a New Year’s resolution. Ready?? I am going to write more blogs. I have a new laptop computer to work with and I am not going to be defeated by my eye sight. I have macular degeneration and my left eye is not doing so good. I will try my best to still do blogs but you, my gentle reader, must bear with me if I make errors.
In my last blog I had mentioned Bill. He was a very belligerent 63 year old man. He had several medical problems and was unable to stay home alone. He had no family so he was all alone. No matter what the subject was he always said what he thought and insisted his version was the only one that mattered. It was so bad the other folks would ignore him. I tried to keep the peace but it was very trying. Bill got so he stayed in his room most of the time just lying in bed. I tried to get him to read but no luck. He had a chip on his shoulder and nothing moved him. He started wanting his meals served in his room and I said no. I allowed him breakfast but told him he needed to come to the table for meals. The language he used was horrible so I just left his room. He came for the evening meal and I breathed a sigh of relief. I should have known it would not last. The next day after breakfast he informed me he would take all meals in his room!! I repeated what I had said. II tried reasoning with him but nothing seemed to get through. I always reminded myself to remember these people were ill and I should be very patient no matter what they said.
The next day started out ok with Bill even coming to the table for breakfast. When it came time for lunch it was a different story. I went to his room and he said he wanted luch served in his room. I refused and we were at a stalemate. I waited until 100 and told him lunch was over and if he wanted a sandwich to come to the kitchen anytime. He replied with a few choice words and I left. He never came out of his room all afternoon. I called him at 4:45 for dinner and he informed me he was eating in his room I told him if he refused to come to the table I would call thee Dr. I than went back to the kitchen. It was not five minutes later when Carl hollered”Hey!!! Someone just jumped out the upstairs window”!! It took a few seconds for that to sink in and then I realized it was Bill. He had opened his window and jumped! I rushed outside and there he was on the blacktop driveway screaming. I called the Emergency Squad and they came and rushed him to the hospital. the end result was he had broken his ankle but otherwise was ok.
It took me quite a while to recover from that. He was evaluated in the hospital and admitted to the Mental Health Unit. The Doctor explained he had been there before and would be placed in a secure facility for the rest of his life.
Whenever something liked this happened I always felt like I had failed. It would take a while to pull myself together again.
It made me realize I could not help everyone but you do the best you can.
Until the next time, dear reader, try to go through one week with out raising your voice or becoming upset. Look for the cause and you will feel better.
Love Red