The High Jump Jiggled my Brain

I wonder when i get old if I'll suffer from denmtia. I've met several people who are all suffering different forms of it, and it seems so different for each of them.

I was in my Team Meeting today talking about the status of our clients when they came around to talking about M. She has been living in the Nursing home for some time now. "Oh she thinks she has to pick people up and drive them, home!" One nurse says with a sad face. They all nod and continue to talk about her care.

When it gets to my turn, I agree that often she starts talking about how there are places she has to go, and isn't her husband so good hearted to let her have the car for three weeks. Everyone in the room knows her husband is dead, so they look sorrowful at this bit of news.

"But" I say "i try to get her to talk about herself and distract her." I started telling them about how M. didn't want my services at first because she didn't have any money to pay me. I convinced her that she didn't have to give me any money, and she readily accepted, though she couldn't understand why anyone would go around rubbing people's feet for free. She told me about how she got her first vericose vein in highschool doing the high jump and the long jump. She one $14 in 8th grade because she was able to jump the highest. "I could have gone, higher" she said. I asked her if she liked all that jumping around and she said she probably like it too much and it jiggled up her brain.

I had the room laughing and the nurses that hadn't met her, wanted to meet her. I felt like I had something special with M. I had made a connection with her and her jiggled up brain. This is where the hard part of my job starts to show up. I know that with in weeks or months, M. will get worse and that breif connection we had will be lost. Do I distance myself from it or relish it while it is still there. I've only known her a short time, who am I to hold on to this part of a stranger?

For now, I will continue to joke with M. and not think about the end until it's closer. But then I will have to put my attachment to the side and see the situation as part of my job.