Wrexham Maelor Residency Notes
15/7/2018
Erddig Ward
“What a blow!”
Erddig today, and my goodness it was quiet. Weekends
on the ward are quiet but today there was a nice sort of peacefulness about on
the ward. Our old favourite Mrs C was still here, and a sister said that both
she and the lady in the next bedside would benefit from some company-
particularly Mrs J because she was feeling especially low.
I introduced myself to Mrs J and explained who I was and
asked if she would be interested in seeing some of my typewriter work, deciding
to go slow and not overwhelm her because she looked exhausted. She smiled
warmly at me and her eyes reassured me that I was no intrusion, so I showed her
some of my typewriter images and this made her smile a lot, and I explained how
I use text and language in my work- as an opener to allow me to introduce some
kind of a text-based activity.
I decided to use the fridge poetry again because I have
really enjoyed how it has worked in the hospital environment; it doesn’t take
up much space- it isn’t messy, and in terms of creativity- it is very
versatile. With it having a limited vocabulary, in many instances you have to
settle for another word, but this in itself can take a poem off in a far more
verbally adventurous direction. (I say “poem” in the broadest most abstract
sense, because every person reacts differently creatively to the words on
show).
Mrs J looked impressed at the variety, but nothing seemed to jump out, so I asked if she had a
particular theme or anything she loves; she said “The sea”. So, we were off! It
did take time because her mobility was very hindered by her fatigue, but she
remained engaged and involved and helped me to pick out and assemble the words.
This is what we came up with:
Water licks feet beside golden glory
Summer twinkle, jewel sky
Glitters beneath a silver breeze
In a gold dream boat
I carry along and float
To glance above
Beautiful memories shine
After
completion she kept saying, “Lovely; it’s just lovely. Absolutely lovely.”
She closed
her eyes gently with a smile on her face, and gently fell asleep for a happy
doze.
It was
almost as though she could hear the water lapping to-and-fro with the
glittering water twinkling before her.
She slept
the rest of the time I was there.
Turning and greeting Mrs C I was most pleased because she
remembered me- except she thought she knew me from “down by the river.” In
conversation that follow she happened upon explaining that she used to work in
a factory at one time, “a big building with hills behind, it was down by the
river.” I realised that she must have
been confusing me with someone from her youth. I wondered if she liked that
person- because she was very warm with me. I sort of felt like I was given an
unfair advantage in a way- piggybacking on someone else’s reputation! Memories
are funny things.
Mrs C was very settled today. Other times she has suddenly
become alarmed and announced that she must go and find her family- because they
“won’t know where I am”. Today though
she happily sat and completed a crossword- asking about the weather and being
very contented. I wonder if she becomes more distressed later in the day, as
her rational thoughts begin to anticipate visiting times, and her irrational
thoughts counter this with frequent distress that people won’t know how to find
her. Maybe even 3pm, at the end of the school day?
She asked how I had got on with Mrs J, saying that she has
not been too good recently and has been very sad. So many times on this residency
I am struck by the devastating loneliness and sadness endured by these people
lying in these beds. I wished I hadn’t exhausted Mrs J to the point of needing
a rest but had to remind myself that she had looked very happy, albeit happily
asleep. Part of me wished I could have engaged with her further. It doesn’t
feel like enough sometimes. If you have dementia, and happen to feel perpetual
sadness- then would a pleasant experience remain with you? Or upon waking would
you be once more thrust into a state of confused sadness, with little idea why?
In that case, is anything lasting?
Mrs C, cheerfully completing her crossword asked what I had
done together with Mrs J, so I showed her the magnetic poem and she was very
impressed. I asked if she would like to have a go and she insisted that
crosswords are my thing so instead I
switched to a little technique I like to use, whereby I ask the patient if they
could help me a little; I asked her if she could give me a theme, or
something about herself, so that we might collaboratively put together some
words. It worked. She said “Ok, how about, A
farmer’s life.” Combining
conversation, memories and a little artistic license on my part, we made a
couple of verses about a familiar anecdote of hers- that of being sent by her
father to milk the cows. The aforementioned cow kicked her while she milked
her, resulting in her being thrown across the barn and drenched in milk.
She has told me this story before. She really enjoys it- her
eyes dance with happiness and she does this sweet little chuckle at the thought
of her drenched in milk. On the morning of her communion- of all days!
“A Farmer’s
life”
Sun above
Vale beneath
Out of bed
Walk those
feet
What a blow
I fall
A milky
flood
And a white
soak
She seemed
quite impressed with what we came up with together, and kept asking “Do you do
this every day?”
I think she
was seeing it on a parallel activity with completing a crossword. Perhaps it
should be.
We were then
interrupted; she had a visitor. I discreetly gave them space and packed my bags
away. She was to go on a walk with someone from the hospital, down to chapel!
She was most pleased. I thanked her for her time then as I left she called out
to me: “I will be back here in a few hours- if you come here and I’m not here,
I won’t be long!” She had already
forgotten what I said. I said not to worry and to enjoy herself, then made my
way to the exit. I turned one last time to wave goodbye and she was still
smiling at me with the beautiful happy eyes of a lady in her 80s. I don’t know
why, maybe it was the way she was looking at me like she knew me, but I kissed
my hand and outstretched my arm to her- which she immediately reciprocated, and
we both parted ways with broad emotional smiles on our faces.