Sat 6 Mar 2010
crazy time
Posted by liz under Uncategorized
[4] Comments
A patient of mine has been refusing to take a shower for weeks. He considers it a form of “protest”, a way of getting back at the people who have him “trapped” at the facility. The problem is, he’s starting to stink.
“Maybe,” I suggested to him yesterday, “You could just surprise everyone…by taking a shower!”
No response. He doesn’t care about “surprising” anyone, he just wants to irritate everyone. I tried a different tactic.
“Look, if you’re trying to prove that you’re a competent adult, just remember, people who aren’t crazy take showers. People who are crazy don’t take showers, because it interferes with…their crazy time.”
I was really proud of myself for spontaneously coming up with such brilliant logic, but my patient was too busy scowling at his tablemate, who was stirring his coffee with a packet of tarter sauce, to reply.
The Boy and I recently watched “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, and now, with two months of my current job under my belt, the characters in the film don’t really appear to be all that crazy.
“Oh yeah,” agreed my patient. “The more you watch that movie, the saner they seem.”
In other news, “Boom!” arrived yesterday, but I actually fell asleep on the couch watching it, that’s how lethargic I’ve been the past few days. Bear Cub is accompanying me to work today. She hasn’t been to work with me since last summer–she didn’t do so well on the dementia ward, but it’s fun for me.
That was great logic. One Flew Over is a fantastic film. I have a deep and abiding thing for Jack Nicholson.
thanks vox. I love him in that movie, he’s perfect. actually the whole movie is cast perfectly.
Just wanted to say I don’t know how you work in the dementia ward… I visit my grandma there once a week for a couple hours and I get my fill of the crazy. I end up thinking about it for days. Of course, I always leave with a great story to tell. So anyway, props to ya Liz.
Some people get along with children really well, I have a knack for working with old people. And crazy people. Patience is important. Ice cream also helps.