Tuesday, August 20, 2013

What part of PEDIATRICS don't they understand?

Hand to God, 
I was called to the clinics 
yesterday afternoon
by Security 
to 'deal with' an 80 + year old lady, 
a  small frail woman, 
wrapped in two afghans 
and confined to a wheelchair.
I was told she had dementia
and that no one had been with her 
since about 9am that morning.

After talking with her,
for about 20 minutes, 
in my best
"I remember this phase with my mother" voice,
I got her name, a rough address
and a phone number -
even if she couldn't remember
to whom it belonged.

Dementia, maybe;
scared, definitely;
embarrassed, beyond measure
and crying to go home.

Calling the number,
I got someone who said she was the woman's daughter.
To say she was surprised
I 'found' her
was an understatement...
apparently she'd dropped her mother off for the day 
"because she needed a break"
and she knew she'd be OK in a hospital.
Who does THAT???!
Good grief!

She confessed she hadn't planned 
to come back and get her, but she would now.
I assured her she didn't need to hurry.

I've never had to have someone 
from the ELDER Abuse Hotline
respond to the hospital before...
first time for everything!

They were waiting for the 'daughter' when she walked in.

Not the day any of us planned!

Sad to be reminded 
life can be lousy 
at both ends of the life spectrum!

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