Please don't throw me away, breaking my promise
- Thread starter kindred
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Thank you so much, hug back! Gxxxhow lovely for you@kindred...you must have looked so good to him.. love your posts (( here’s a hug)) A x
I bounced in, singing Yellow Submarine. The nurses joined in and to our horror we had actually forgotten some of the words. We patched it together between us! Even so, the lines didn't seem quite accurate. One of the residents was making awful noise and I asked her why (this is the one who screamed as a demonstration of how loudly she could scream) and she said that today she was the fire alarm.
Hey ho. Keith happy, singing, trying to join in with me. I sing, usually Hey HO and he imitates it and then I sing it back to him louder ... it's a bit like teaching a toddler to talk. But it's a communication and something we can share. OOO he looked so lovely in his powder blue jumper today and he held my hand.
There was more confusion around in the residents area today, I think because the activity nurses weren't there, and because we had not yet had lunch which is one of the main framework items of the day. Confusion leads to shouting out usually.
I so wish I had more energy. I was too tired even to lead a sing song today, been a bit of a week all told. The lady who was being the fire alarm was getting distressed and calling for help. I was nearest so I went to her and she said where was everyone? What was happening? she was missing the activity nurses, I know. I told her that we are all here to look after her and all will be well, I promise. And would she like me to put on a coloured scarf and be one of the activity nurses for her. At this point, she put out her arms, drew me to her and whispered, You are perfect as you are.
My goodness, I almost cried and one of the nurses was almost in tears too.
It gets to emotional sometimes.
Anyway, as I left, I heard her shouting out Am I not important?
Oh yes, the existential question for all of us, all of us.
Thanks so much folks, appreciate you being with me. Church tomorrow. Back on Monday. Thank you. With love, Geraldine aka kindred. aka what a strange and hurly burly life this is. xxxx
Hey ho. Keith happy, singing, trying to join in with me. I sing, usually Hey HO and he imitates it and then I sing it back to him louder ... it's a bit like teaching a toddler to talk. But it's a communication and something we can share. OOO he looked so lovely in his powder blue jumper today and he held my hand.
There was more confusion around in the residents area today, I think because the activity nurses weren't there, and because we had not yet had lunch which is one of the main framework items of the day. Confusion leads to shouting out usually.
I so wish I had more energy. I was too tired even to lead a sing song today, been a bit of a week all told. The lady who was being the fire alarm was getting distressed and calling for help. I was nearest so I went to her and she said where was everyone? What was happening? she was missing the activity nurses, I know. I told her that we are all here to look after her and all will be well, I promise. And would she like me to put on a coloured scarf and be one of the activity nurses for her. At this point, she put out her arms, drew me to her and whispered, You are perfect as you are.
My goodness, I almost cried and one of the nurses was almost in tears too.
It gets to emotional sometimes.
Anyway, as I left, I heard her shouting out Am I not important?
Oh yes, the existential question for all of us, all of us.
Thanks so much folks, appreciate you being with me. Church tomorrow. Back on Monday. Thank you. With love, Geraldine aka kindred. aka what a strange and hurly burly life this is. xxxx
You ARE perfect as you are!! Loved reading Keith's reaction on seeing you yesterday. Absolutely lovely. You make such a difference when you visit Geraldine. Not just being with your beloved Keith but taking the time to interact with other - often very distressed - residents. I know what an enormous part the NH plays in your life but I do worry sometimes about the emotional toll it can take. You have a heart of gold and your kindness is wonderful but please look after you. I know, sadly, how a visit can affect someone, even if it is a positive one. I am not suggesting for a second you stop spending time with other residents nor trying to boost spirits - that's a lovely thing to do. And I know you are very much a part - albeit unofficially - of the activity team. But you are primarily there to be with beloved Keith. What I'm trying - and probably not very well! - to say is please don't spread yourself too thinly. You are a busy lady. Please make sure you get adequate rest and have some ME time. This comes from a place of love my dear friend so, With Love, Jan xxxx
Oh thank you dearest friend. What a lovely post. That makes me feel so wonderfully cared for. Thank you with all heart. Geraldine all love. xxxx
Woah. Few bad tempers around today, residents falling out with each other. It's usually a kind of territorial spat or over one of the many soft toys. I am being made official guardian of a lot more of these, promising to get them back if they go missing ... I hope I can live up to this responsibility!!
Keith lovely in blue jumper. We spent ages just looking into each other's eyes. That was nice, and sort of a place of peace amidst a bit of a din generally. He was livelier than usual for the afternoon.
Nice musical activity with 20 songs and the residents had to guess them and between us we managed all 20. The one which caused the most difficulty was
don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me
But even then one of the residents managed it and then sang it all the way through.
Oh the lovely songs we have in our heads, the ability of the brain to retain music and lyrics ...
I have to go to work tomorrow, but will still manage to get in earlier I hope.
Thanks for being back with me folks. If you ever have any questions about life in the nursing home, anything like that, just let me know. Love and best, Geraldine aka kindred. xxxx
Keith lovely in blue jumper. We spent ages just looking into each other's eyes. That was nice, and sort of a place of peace amidst a bit of a din generally. He was livelier than usual for the afternoon.
Nice musical activity with 20 songs and the residents had to guess them and between us we managed all 20. The one which caused the most difficulty was
don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me
But even then one of the residents managed it and then sang it all the way through.
Oh the lovely songs we have in our heads, the ability of the brain to retain music and lyrics ...
I have to go to work tomorrow, but will still manage to get in earlier I hope.
Thanks for being back with me folks. If you ever have any questions about life in the nursing home, anything like that, just let me know. Love and best, Geraldine aka kindred. xxxx
It is reassuring to hear your stories. Your generosity of spirit is perhaps the secret or not so secret!
Well best to get back to sleep for a bit. We are having a week of juggling different needs. Xxx
all strength to you sweetheart, what jugglers we all are! And so good and encouraging to hear from you. with love and best, Geraldinexx
Today i am suffering from OUTRAGE. You will not detect much of that on this thread, although elsewhere I do say what I feel about the way us carers are treated.
Anyway, this is not related to dementia, only it is. My good friend, a senior midwife, told me this morning that they are not allowed to use the word bonding when talking to new mothers. They have to say forming neural pathways ,...
Yes, I know this is true but the word bonding is so beautiful and so true and it sounds as though all the poets in the world have been wasting their time. Lovers bond, friends bond etc etc.
I was thinking specifically of Keith and I just staring into each other's eyes yesterday, surely, surely this is bonding.
So that is my rant. Thank you guys. Lovely sunny day and conversation over lunchtime centred around night clubs and who has and who hasn't been to one. Some of the residents said they had but honestly, 50 years ago in this University city there was no nightlife.
Suddenly Keith spoke up and said
It's a recruitment problem ...
To calm us down, the activity nurses read lots of autumn poems and they were doing an activity THE PRICE IS RIGHT as I left to come home. What was new and lovely was the chorus of, oh please don't go, please stay as I announced I had to go home ...
It all felt very bonding.
love and best, guys, thank you!
Geraldine aka kindred.xxxsxs
Anyway, this is not related to dementia, only it is. My good friend, a senior midwife, told me this morning that they are not allowed to use the word bonding when talking to new mothers. They have to say forming neural pathways ,...
Yes, I know this is true but the word bonding is so beautiful and so true and it sounds as though all the poets in the world have been wasting their time. Lovers bond, friends bond etc etc.
I was thinking specifically of Keith and I just staring into each other's eyes yesterday, surely, surely this is bonding.
So that is my rant. Thank you guys. Lovely sunny day and conversation over lunchtime centred around night clubs and who has and who hasn't been to one. Some of the residents said they had but honestly, 50 years ago in this University city there was no nightlife.
Suddenly Keith spoke up and said
It's a recruitment problem ...
To calm us down, the activity nurses read lots of autumn poems and they were doing an activity THE PRICE IS RIGHT as I left to come home. What was new and lovely was the chorus of, oh please don't go, please stay as I announced I had to go home ...
It all felt very bonding.
love and best, guys, thank you!
Geraldine aka kindred.xxxsxs
@kindred I'm sorry you're suffering from OUTRAGE, but I have to say, I am too!!
Bonding is definitely what happens when neural pathways form......I am 100% with you on that!
Thank you for your inspiring posts, sorry I don't get on here much lately but I couldn't leave bonding hanging....
Love
Lindy xx
Bonding is definitely what happens when neural pathways form......I am 100% with you on that!
Thank you for your inspiring posts, sorry I don't get on here much lately but I couldn't leave bonding hanging....
Love
Lindy xx
Lindy so lovely to hear from you. I know, I know, it is jargon gone barking mad. Much appreciated, thank you. with love, Geraldinexx
@kindred I feel your outrage and totally totally agree with you - bonding just says it all somehow, explains so much. We bonded with our beautiful adopted granddaughter who came into our lives when she was 4 years old, and nobody will tell me otherwise - the other expression sounds so cold. They must have a committee with nothing to do thinking up all this rubbish.
Dare I say that after reading your posts I feel as though you have so many friends on here that have bonded with you. It’s true, you are an inspiration. Love S x
Dare I say that after reading your posts I feel as though you have so many friends on here that have bonded with you. It’s true, you are an inspiration. Love S x
Absolutely, completely. I so agree and obviously like I said, all the poets wrote in vain, they should have waxed lyrical about neural pathways ... I love what you said, yes we are all bonders on here!!! Thank you! Gxxxx
That is so beautiful and encouraging. I love what you told me about your granddaughter, love it, and what a beautiful thing you said about my friends on here bonding with me. That gives me such faith and courage to carry on. Thank you with all heartxxxGeraldinexxx
