Happy Birthday to me!
I'm 47 today - (I'll only admit to 35) and I mowed the lawn and lifted the old lady next door.
?
Yes, for the past few days I've been helping the nurse who takes care of the 104 yr old woman next door, because the nurse sprained her arm and can't lift her anymore. So I've been helping out. It's been an interesting experience. The woman in question (104 - that makes her 57 years older than I am) is deaf and cranky, and has slight dementia. Otherwise, she's in fine form. She can't walk, but she can complain - which according to the nurse, she does constantly. Today she complained I set her down too fast (I actually nearly rolled over with her onto the bed. She's heavy!) But she's strong, and she can usually hoist herself into her wheelchair, just not back into bed.
My son, who is a fireman, said that most of his missions are picking up elderly folk who have fallen down and can't get up. He told me to call him if the old woman got stuck. So far the nurse has managed on her own, until she sprained her arm.
The old woman saw me the first day and said, "Who's that?"
"La voisine!" (the neighbor) shouted the nurse. (she has to shout, as the old lady is deaf as my dachshund when he's decided he wants to stay in bed.)
"Justine?"
"No, la voisine!"
"Oh. Bonjour Justine."
"No, pas Justine. Ta voisine! She's here to help!"
The old lady calls me Justine now, and complains that I don't lift her high enough to get her situated right in bed.
According to the nurse, she's being difficult because she refuses to let the nurse lift her with this handy contraption that would make life considerably easier for everyone. But the old lady refuses, and so the poor nurse has to come knocking at my door every morning and evening to get the old woman set up right.
Next week a new nurse is coming, and I'm leaving on vacation, but my son said he'd be standing by in case she needs lifting, so don't anyone worry.
:-)
6 comments:
Happy Birthday Justine!!
Happy Birthday.
When I worked in a nursery home in Sweden to pay for my studies, we had those handy contraptions. It still wasn't easy to move some of the old ones.
And cranky? Boy, are they ever.
Wow, 104. One could conclude entitlement to some crankiness just for living that long, eh? Wow, the stories she could tell, huh? I mean she was 18 in 1921.
Good for you for helping out. It's a huge deal. I've taken care of family members who were sick for long periods of time and bed ridden for most of it. Not an easy thing to do.
Most importantly...have a great birthday.
BTW, that picture of the little boy fishing is gorgeous. The sunset on the water? Sublime.
Happy, Happy, Birthday, Jennifer! May your wishes all come true. You are a youngster -- LOL -- Tuesday, I turn 50, so we are both Leo's aye?
Thank you for the birthday wishes Seeley, Gabriele, Rosie and Bonita!
The little boy fishing is my nephew - I was trying to get a photo of the sunset, and the duck swam over, so I quick snapped that shot!
happy belated!!!
(crawling back into my piles of paperwork)
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