The week begins...

I love graduate school when I have a group project due on Monday. It just gives that air of despair to your day knowing you're working at work when you could be cleaning up your project and getting a good grade.

Anywho...work can be fun, if you let it. Lots of oddball things going on.

First, Mr. Motorcycle came in to see some people. Then he asked me if the social workers might know where he can get his fishing license (yes, the day after this starts). I know, I'm thinking, "Yeah, if I were a patient, I'd ask the first nurse I saw how to get a fishing license." I passed this ball to my interdisciplinary team member, Mark, the recreation therapist. (The social worker has too much to do right now).

Yes, the unit's still shaken by the antics of the psychotic patients. My favorite one is the patient (schizophrenic) who truly believes his wife is here to pick him up and take him to their home. You guessed it. Mr. Xyz hasn't had his own home in years. Maybe it's time for some more of this injection right about now.

Our other resident with similar psychiatric issues won this handy, dandy drug. He still thinks we're all out to get him, but maybe with the rest of his cocktail, he'll level off soon.

And if that wasn't the icing on the cake, I somehow shorted my iron. Yes, I know, ironing is so old fashioned, but I appreciate the therapeutic benefits of ironing (repetition, steam, accomplishment). Now I'll have to stop by a real store (or look online) for a fancy one. 

It's never a dull moment here, so stay tuned...

I can't sleep

The toads are croaking really loud tonight...need the earplugs! So thankful Dahey gets them at work.

I took care of some interesting characters lately. First one, is in rehab due to thoracic spinal fusion. Once his vertebral problems were solved, Mr. X. couldn't walk, and docs realized he suffered a high thoracic spinal cord injury.

Just to add to the fun, Mr. X. was a raging alcoholic and has Korsakoff's psychosis. One night, he was particularly mad, so he called security and told them we were holding him against his will and restraining him. Security asked that we disconnect his phone, so we did. Thankfully, his call light is not nearly as fun to play with for him. He's been a handful, but keeps quiet for me because I give him cups of coffee. This also helps when getting him up, since coffee is the real reason I get him to go to therapy.

Me: "Okay, we're going to get you ready to go."
Mr. X: "Where?"
Me: "To therapy. They're waiting for you."
Mr. X: "I don't want to go there."
Me: "Here's the deal. You go there, and after, I'll get you another cup of coffee."
Mr. X.: "Okay, when do we leave?"

Mr. X has had a lot of other typical issues that alcoholics have in addition to the psychosis. Keeping his skin healthy has been one of the main challenges. I got a handle on things this week, but it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.

I love it when it's easy to find motivators to get people to do things. One of my developmentally disabled patients at Saintarama loved Diet Pepsi, so I always made sure I had one (and a cup of ice on the side) whenever she completed therapy. Too bad I don't have motivators like that at the Hotel. No sodas here, unless they come from me or the volunteers.

Another patient is one motivated character. All Hoss wants to do is to go on a Harley ride this summer with his brother. He'll do anything to get there, so he's another quick sell on going to therapy.

They are challenging characters, but I was very happy with their behaviors this week. I'm hoping I'm on a roll!
Back to writing the last paper of the semester.

More to come...