Tales from the hospital ward

  I am not, as predicted by a divorce lawyer, a "lonely old woman". I have been freed from the entrapment of a controlling relationship. At 60, I am realisticly aware that any new relationship will quickly deteriorate into a burden. Waking up with another old fart would be depressing I couldn’t deal with their toileting issues           Integrating them into my family would not work             I would feel compelled to:                                                                                                      cook and clean for them      take them to medical appointments   ...

 Gurgling. the old italian was gurgling. There was a collection of fluid at the back of his throat that he could not swallow.   It was 730 am. The assistant fed him a 1/2 cup of juice and a spoonful of cornflakes with milk for breakfast. He then pushed her away and swore at her. He was assessed as a high risk of aspiration- he was sitting bolt up right in bed, and was given food when wide awake After about 45mins   the old man started coughing and coughing, choking, spitting everywhere, spluttering, vomiting. He pushed away the yankeur sucker that i tried to shove into his mouth, he got really angry with me for continuing to try, and swore at me in Italian. It lasted at least 30 mins.   Loud, blustering coughing, on and on. The 3 co patients were all crying , “save him”, “some body do something”. “Please stop it”. “I cant stand it”.   The room sounded like a cacophony of mayhem and madness. Finally the old man coughed up enough to be able to breathe again. When ...