I struggled writing this, as while it contains something that inspires me, every day, but it also contains something of great pain and regret. So don’t read on, if you’re upset by death.
The next day, the snow fell. It’s downy feathers caked the earth it that pure pristine whiteness, that looks good on postcards, Christmas cards . This was early, it was dark, coming up to the Christmas period, and each street light had become a conical shaped snow globe. I was full of expectation, and the snow filled my head with joy, as I trudged through it’s purity, leaving only my tracks to mark my passage.
The train came, and as I sat down, I pulled out my notebook, and sketched a rough plan on My care plan technique.. Within 17 minutes, (the time it takes a train to get from my station to the city) I’d got an idea how to deal with Charlie’s “Family”. I would play on my age, I was more “mature” than my fellow student nurses. Heck, I was more “mature” than many of the nurses on the ward (but didn’t carry the work experience). I walked on the ward, feeling reasonably confident, but that was punctured by the fact that my mentor, wouldn’t be on my shift that morning. I would be shadowed by a “dragon” of a nurse, and she would be playing Charlie’s “Aunt, brother and sister” during our break. It goes without saying, it wasn’t the nurse I was expecting. It was time to change the game plan. I’d wing it.
We went though the morning getting the patients up and ready for breakfast. This meant a wash, a shave or a shower for those more capable, (Even though you asked, as we promoted independence) and I, like a fool, hadn’t asked during hand over, but smugly thought, I’ll check their care plans. I’d made it to the edge of Charlie’s bed, and was intercepted by the “dragon”.
“Naughty”, she waved her index finger, (like those nannies from the films of the 40’s would do), and told me to “ask her”. We walked away from the bed, and I was told “Charlie was a sweetie”, all I needed to do was collect a change of clothes, a towel, and his cleaning bag, walk him to one of the two shower bays, make sure the water was warm enough for him, and “leave him to it. With him being a “flight risk” after last night, check on him every five minutes. You then check on Karl, who makes the decision based on his pain levels. If it’s bad he has a bowl, if he’s feeling OK, you’ll have to help shower him”.
Looking after to Charlie was fairly simple, I made sure the water, was like Goldilocks warm, set his slippers, robe, fresh pajamas, on a rail. and told him to “ring” if he had difficulty. I then went to Karl. “Good morning Karl, my name is Charles, I will be your nurse for today, what do you require, bowl or shower?” He replied, “Good morning Charles, I’ve come here to die, and I think I’ll have a bowl”. OK I was taken back by this, and I thought I’d clear, something up.
Charles - “What now?”
Karl - ”?”
Charles - “You’re dying now?”
Karl - “Nah, not until after breakfast... You can’t die on an empty stomach...”
Charles - “Oh OK”.
Karl - “and Charles....”
Charles - “What?”
Karl - “Stop sounding like a effing air hostess...”
I had my first encounter with Karl, and it was glorious....
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