Yet, another alarm..

This alarm was a fire alarm we had tonight. Quickly, all the doors were closed. I found out that the CareGiver, not me this time, had burned the popcorn and caused the alarms to go off on the second floor. After the alarm was turned off and everyone was back to normal, I went into my, the 2nd floor, bathroom and ran into the two very large trash containers titled, Soiled Linen and Trash Only. These had to be cleared out of the hallway in case of fire. In the photo, you can see the commode way in the background. Ha!

Alarms, bells, and more alarms...,

There are many alarms that go off in a nursing home.
For example, there is the alarm on the machine that drips and re-hydrates a Resident; the alarm on the bed that a Resident uses to call a Tech to the room; the beeps that go off any time someone calls for the elevator with special numbers so that the Residents don't escape; the alarm on the wheel chair seat that goes off when a person steps up out of it; the alarm under the sheets in the event a Resident thinks they can walk.
The meanest loudest is the alarm with a pin in it that is permanently placed on the back of the wheelchair that a Tech clips to the back of the Resident's clothing. This is to notify any one that the Resident is trying to get out of the wheelchair. In this case the pin pulls out and a very loud, piercing shrill alarm goes off.

I know this alarm with the pin personally.
I had tried to get someone to help me take My Lady back to bed, but no one was around. So, knowing that I have upper body strength I thought I could easily take My Lady out of her chair and put her in her bed. No problem--this would be a no-brainer. I had seen the Tech do it many times.
Well, I had forgotten to take the clip off her blouse, so when the pin came out of the alarm and it shrilled, the Nurse and the Tech ran into the room where they found My Lady and I together, having fallen, across the bed. Cozy!
I was chagrined because I thought this Lady would just stand up and I would help her into the bed. Wrong. No chance. She was 140 pounds of dead weight. I think she even tried to lift her feet. I promised myself NEVER to try that again. So much for good intentions; but it did get the help we needed down to our room lickity split! Ha!

My Addiction...

I am always "on call" and was asked to come to the Nursing home. The Daytime CareGiver's husband had had a heart attack and was in route,45 miles away, by ambulance to the Hospital. She needed to meet him there. The food tray had arrived and it was time for My Lady to be fed. Wow! I went quickly.

When I arrived, My Lady had been served a plethora of warm, good-smelling food. She was not hungry due to eating a large breakfast; so she accepted the lukewarm Strawberry Ensure in the can with a straw. I placed her wrapped up pimento sandwich and cut pears in the Resident refrigerator in case she would be hungry later as I had seen the Daytime CareGiver do.

What to do with the large tray full of food? As you can see in the photo, she had Strawberry Ensure, green beans, noodles, beef, a bread roll, ice cream, a nutty apple cobbler, crackers, margarine, dry chocolate Ensure to add to the milk, and a pimento sandwich. Now, I have made it a habit not to eat ANYTHING that is on the tray. I do not trust what they put in the food since the food is being ordered by a doctor especially for her. I could break out with hair on my gums...

However, when hunger overtook me, you see what I chose to taste out of all this food... Can you see my addition??? ha! It was good; but it was not to be the beginning of a bad habit for me. I left it on the tray. My Kid later called and brought me dinner. I love My Kid! "There is always a way to escape."

I thought I'd try some new dog food...right?

Well, I thought I'd give Lexi some new dog food. (Photo on the right has the food the way it comes in the bag.) Something NEW! is Purina's Chef Michael that has real pieces of chicken, with processed peas and carrots. Now, may I say that Lexi is a dog that eats everything that hits the floor. It takes 5 seconds and she's on it. She will eat a piece of orange or cauliflower, or any food that I offer to the parrot except seed.
Well, duh, the dog knows how to separate out the peas and carrots on the carpet (see photo) and leave some in the bowl (see photo at top).
So much for that ingenious idea! Back to the drawing board...

Health Center Life and Culture

Last week I walked into the Health Center to sit with My Lady at 7pm. When I got off the elevator on the second floor there were no residents in the four hallways that run into the circular nurses station in the center. It was "dead" quiet. I found out that a resident had expired at 6pm and her family, who had been called in, was in a glassed-in room talking to the Administrators and signing papers. A nurse had called an ambulance, using 911, to come take the body.
Out of respect, the Techs had quickly moved all the residents, who were usually in the four hallways, into the TV room. Wow! This is a different world I am in.
Last week I heard the Techs say something like, "205 911'd."It meant that the person in room 205 had expired and 911 had been notified to take them away the body during the time I was gone. Whew! Life and death are dealt so casually every day in this place.

A "No Noun" Memory

I just walked by the circular Nurses Station which is in the middle of four halls that intersect on the second floor of this Health Center this morning. There were two nurses, with their backs turned to each other, writing stuff and talking; but without using any nouns. They knew what they were talking about; but to me who walked by and do not know them that well, it sounded like gibberish! No nouns! What were they talking about?
This reminded me of a time about 40 years ago when my Mom and my older sister-in-law would do the same when they were together talking. They knew each other so well that they would not use any nouns. I sure didn't want to be around. I would say, "Mom, what are you talking about?" She would sheepishly smile and apologize. She probably saw me as someone who was slowing down the conversation. Ha! That memory returned tonight!

How Can I Say "No!" to These Eyes?

This is LEXI, my Kid's Silky Terrier that resides with me...sleeps with me...eats with me...is all over me. I love the attention!
YOU that have Kids know, that there are times, after your Kids move out, that you really miss them. When that happens, what I can do is get something that belongs to my daughter--maybe a rock she has given me or a photo of the two of us together and hold it and think of her.
The problem is, what I usually chose is not a small artifact or photo that I can put in my purse. I go for her dog, Lexi. Clearly know that the dog has not taken my Kid's place. That could never happen; but Lexi knows how to give me instantaneous attention that just fills the coffers of my soul!
However, when Lexi opens the cabinet door under the sink with her long nose, shreds my important papers that are on the floor, or when she hauls off with my underwear that has been in a hamper in a closed closet in the bathroom, I still give her a solid "No!" This makes her come closer to me, cuddle right up to me and show me those big browns that are in the picture above. She knows how to work the house.
You know, when there is a problem, I love on Lexi more, tell her I forgive her (for being a dog!) and throw her a cat...[sic]...not really. Actually, I give her a kinda treat to gnaw on.
Isn't this what I did with my Kid? Say "No", pick the Kid up, cuddle her and talk about bad behavior, forgive her, and hug her again...and NOT reward her with food!
Yep, the dog reminds me of my Kid!