Past Jobs

Have you ever had a job that even after years of it being in the past, some of its memories still haunt you? Or make you laugh? Cringe? 

One of my daycare mommies works in a nursing home, and so did I once upon a time... today we exchanged horror stories, funny stories, and sad moments.   I worked at the home less than a year, and everyday I threw up.  I had a tiny apt and after my shift, I'd go home, lock my door, strip off my dirty, germy uniform and go throw up in the bathroom as the tub filled with scented bubble bath to clear my sinuses of the smells of the day.  

I think the stress of it is what made me sick.  I would feel so badly for some residents, dread seeing others.  There was one who had demetia, and everyday she'd say the same thing to me, " I used to have coal black hair just like you when I was young..." Every day, it was like she just met me, and every day, she liked me.

Then there was the blind lady who when I met her, asked me to come closer as she couldn't hear well, and when she sensed I was close enough, sucker punched me.   You only fall for that once.... she died on her way to dinner one night...we thought she was sleeping....

Then there was the handsome younger man who's dignity was stripped by his body betraying him yet leaving his mind lucid and alert to what was happening to him.  He told us he never married, so he wouldn't be a burden to someone,  he was only in his 30's.  We always tried to show our residents dignity, but with him we took extra care, we felt for him so deeply.

Now that I've sufficiently made you depressed and bleak, let me tell a little story to lighten the mood.

There was a lady, whom I believe, was 1/2 crazy, ok, maybe mostly crazy.   One of the first things they tell you is never kneel in front of a chair, you could get hurt by flying feet or knees.  Or get your hair pulled out.  Depends on the resident of course.  This particular gal didn't like me at all.  She's scream when she saw me coming, yelling, " I know who you are!"   I deeply agitated her and I didn't know why. 

Each shift you're assigned a certain area or hall, those are your residents for the day.  I happened to get her hall on shower day.   I was bummed, as she was a very lanky woman, probably very tall when she could stand, which made it a bit more crowded in the shower stall,  and I knew she'd scream, " I know who you are!" the whole time.  Then to top it off, I had a trainee that day.

So off to the shower room we go, I'm explaining procedure the best I can over the screaming lady and those residents who decided to scream back as we passed their rooms on the way to the shower room.  So we go through the shower, didn't get hit, bit or spit on, so so far so good!

I bent over, to put on her circulation socks, and if you don't know they're like a leg girdle, it takes a bit of effort to get them on.  I got distracted, and was trying to answer a question when BOOOM! I felt excruciating facial pain as I felt my body slam into the wall.  It felt like my nose had been ripped off, I couldn't see through the haze of pain, and the wind was knocked out of me.  

The trainee was doubled over laughing, the old lady was cackling, she'd seen her opportunity and took it.  I had bent over the front, I was right in her line of fire and she shot her foot up and hooked her big  toe in my nostril and flung me across the shower room with amazing strength and speed.  

The trainee was gasping for air, tried to ask if I was alright, between fits of laughter, and trying to explain what she saw.  It had all happened so fast.   All I could think of to say was, "This is why you don't bend over or kneel in front of her.  Get me a nurse I think she ripped my nose off..."

Needless to say,  I didn't make that mistake again either.....