*************************Nurse's Notes************************
Motivation...it is critically important in the healing process, and to not have that "victim" mentality. I recently had a patient who came in, in her 50's, walking and talking. She was pretty sick, but nothing that was not fixable, in fact we fixed her pretty easily!! But....she would not move. She would not get out of bed, would not try at all, called me to scratch her nose, called me to fluff her pillow, called me to move her hands!! Now keep in mind, she was perfectly capable of all these things, after all she lived at home and worked a job. But after ten days of not doing anything...she really can't do anything!! I feel so bad for her...we have tried and tried and tried to do therapy and motivation and just loving her into doing SOMETHING!! I don't know what is wrong...I have tried to talk to her to see if she is depressed, if she has had something go wrong we don't know about...and there is nothing evident that the docs can find. She just wants someone else to do everything for her, even though she came in living by herself and walking and talking...it is just crazy!! She is wound for the nursing home at this point...it just breaks my heart! Tough love does not work either...love and talking does not work...education does not work...sigh... her son is just heart broken too!
Each day, a person can strive for be healthier, growing younger with activity and work and motivation...or they can wither away and go the other way. I know what I chose!!! I am out the door for my walk!!!
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If you are here for strictly quilting content, just skip the nurse's notes...these notes are just my ponderings on the patients and people I know and care for at the hospital...I love each one!!
Have a great day,
Julie
12 comments:
I think your old gal needs a friend..just one new friend who would get her interested in something. I have RA, HepC, IC, and a slipped spine. I live with my oldest son who is wonderful but not the person to motivate me. He actually stands in the way wanting to "help" me way too much! Quilting is now hard for me to do but my one on line friend got me to make her a doll quilt..then doll clothes then I found a group I liked. My one home friend is Amish. She doesn't take no for an answer. If I can't walk today and she's canning, she gives me sit down work and mostly she doesn't ever mention my disability...she just moves me on. I love her for that. "I don't feel good today" means to her that she needs to get me in my power chair with ginger ale and crackers...but that doesn't mean I can't scrub jars or cut threads from quilts or hull berries..eat out or do yard sales. Your lady needs people to stop "doing" for her and stop asking her to do things...just move her along.
Julie, wow you did a great job with the t-shirt quilt. I like the smaller blocks mixed with the bigger blocks. Julie, it is all up to you....but I think the quilt will be very pretty in a smaller solid cotton(maybe black) border and then a wider cotton(UT fabric) border. I am sure you will end up with a beautiful quilt as always. :)
I love the arrangement you made of the t-shirt blocks! Awesome! I've never made one, so I have no input as to borders, but I would think you could use regular quilting cotton with them. I know I've seen that before.
And that lady is thinking she's on a cruise, and it's pampering time!!! Maybe she's so sick of doing everything herself at home, she started to enjoy being waited on....and really went all for it! Of course, I'm sure all the nurses are quick to tend to her, so why wouldn't she take full advantage of that! It's like a vacation for her! LOL
Funny how some patients are impossible to help, tough to watch but at some point you just have to say you have done all you can for her and the rest is up to her. You have inspired me to do two finishes this week....I'm going to go quilt one right now and the other one is done and bound ready to be mailed :0)
Thanks for helping me focus too.
Happy Sewing
Your T-shirt quilt looks great, Julie! I've only made one T-shirt quilt and I used cotton for sashings, cornerstones and borders. That was a couple of years ago--so far, so good.
Recently had a friend's mother pass away who, according to the doctors, was capable of seeing, walking, and anything else she wanted to do, but after her last surgery she just quit trying. So hard to know how to help someone who has no intrinsic motivation. I hope something clicks for her soon, before she truly can't help herself.
I certainly enjoy the quilty content, but equally enjoy your nurse's notes - I really look forward to them! o:) Although I feel very sad for your patient, hope she gets better soon!
Great job on the T-shirt quilt. I'm not sure it even needs a border. Go modern ;-)
on the nursing notes...so hard to see that happen. something broke inside..
I think a plain border on the quilt will look great. You did a fantastic job of putting it together.
I'd like to have someone do everything for me for ONE day...!!! I hope she gets moving soon.
I think a plain border is best to stabilize the edges. That's usually what I do.
Re: motivation...a timely issue for me to reflect on today in helping to care for my brother. Everyone feels better about themselves when they can be strong and independent...I have to provide opportunities for him to get stronger by doing for himself and not hovering so much...thanks Julie!
I had a mother in law like this. Never could understand her. She lived out her life from age 50 to her death in a nursing home. Now that I'm 53, it perplexes me even more! No way I want to spend my days in a nursing home!
Love the tshift quilt! I have some black fabric with the Texas Longhorn on it that would make the best border! Let me know if you want it. I think it would compliment it well!
Love your tshirt layout, but sorry haven't every made one so can't offer any advice on the border.
PS: I love reading your nurses notes :)
I've been meaning to say, I enjoy and value your 'nurse notes'. You give insight into a world that many of us know little about. You seem very passionate about your work, and compassionate toward your patients, who are fortunate to have a nurse like you. Keep up the good work, Julie, all the way around. And thanks for the focus on "focus" !
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