Interacting with the Ailed
Patient 1 — Her
Today I decided to create a patient diary and I will also keep meeting in this notebook. Although she is no longer my patient she was in fact my fist. I wish that I would not have started my diary much sooner. She was certainly an interesting woman. At times i felt that she was more optimistic than other times and that other times she was very melancholy. I do not believe that she understand she herself truly feels. I took care of her hygiene and anything related to that, but i also helped her with research so that she may better understand her disposition. I wish i myself knew more about her disease known as multiple sclerosis. This disease is peculiar to me because i wonder if there is a way to target neural stem cells to combat neurodegeneration and or autoimmune responses. I believe that MS patients tend to feel how they look. Uncomfortable and physically dispositioned.
Patient 2 — He
I met He on the afternoon off a Sunday, for a man with Lou Gehrig’s and mild dementia he has a great spirit. His speech is slurred, but I can still make out what he is saying. For him, I will help him with evening tasks approximately 3 hours prior to resting. My tasks involve giving him medications hygiene, exercise and accommodating to his simple wants around the house, and having a friend. For him, I will also be an extra set of hands, and a friend. I learned several new medical practices from working with this patient.
Today was the second day with He. I received a rundown on everything I would be doing….again, more or less. I love his spirit, and willingness to get to know me. I would often catch myself day dreaming about what his life was like prior to having ALS. I wondered what type of person was he to other people? I wondered what his religious and political belies were. I also wondered if he ever saw ALS being a part of his life today? Nothing more in my brain but questions upon questions, for any answer I could have possible provided did not have any effect on the current situation. For him, i do not feel immediately that i should do or be anything more than someone who makes him comfortable and happy. It is no necessary to get to know him for what or who he is or was because he may be gone, and I would be deceiving myself to think I was getting to know He, rather than getting to know ALS. If I want to know about He then I must watch him, but I want to know what ALS is with He then i must listen to him. His words are few, mumbled, and concise, but there is still much color in his personality and speech. When he speaks, I do not hear his words, but I see colors instead.
A statement was made to me that spoke, “He depends on you” It is safe to say that I will be working w/ He for a while. My concern here is that I will be present in his time of dying. Will it be in the comfort of his home, or in his place residence under a hospitals care? Perhaps, it is neither and he will live a longer time that I anticipate, for that would be optimal *sigh* I was late today, for i had problem w/ my vehicle. I tend to find the positive and negative in things. A positive is that my character is brought out, as a minority i am often stereotyped, or not given a chance at something that I desire to do, and for that reason when my character is tested i show up w/ an army of one which is persistent, diligent, optimistic, and relentless. I am talking about myself to much, and yet i try to convince people i am not self-centered. I think this is done, but there is something him that make me wonder, is he as mentally disassociated as I have been led to believe that is???