Calming Holly

Holly has memory loss and complains of being in constant pain. Holly gets scheduled medicines every four hours or so. But, she seldom remembers taking them. Then the aides have to constantly answer her when she asks, over and over, when she will get her medicine. One nurse even leaves the empty medicine cup in front of Holly to help her remember. But, soon after, the fact that she took medicine becomes lost in her brain.

Today Holly was uncomfortable and had already taken her medicine. But, she asked incessantly all through lunch if she could have pain medicine. When she was told she had taken it, she said it did not work and she needed more. She is a former RN and knows that nurses can't just give her medicine anytime she wants it. But, I think part of her does not realize she lives in a nursing home. Some days she thinks she's at her nursing job. Other days, she thinks she's at a meeting. I'm sure the need for pain medicine is the reason why she asks for her purse frequently. She probably realizes that's where she kept her pain medicine. Holly shows that short-term memory loss is in no way fun.

Sometimes I think Holly is having psychological pain at the thought of living in a nursing home. I think every once in a while she realizes where she is and why she's here. Then she acts like she has been suddenly wounded. I think that's maybe when she asks for more pain medicine, two dull things down.

After lunch Holly made quite a bit of noise being walked back to her room. It was clear she was not happy with anything anybody did for her. After the aide left her in her room, Holly was whimpering.

I was waiting myself and went into Holly's to see if I could assist to calm her. She was crying really hard and biting on the privacy curtain. When she said she was cold, I reminded her there were blankets beside her. Eventually, she grabbed them and covered herself.

But she was still upset and crying. I told her to try to calm down so that the medicine could work. I reminded her that crying and yelling would cause an adrenaline rush that would make it more difficult for the medicine to do its job. I managed to talk her into doing some deep breathing. She did it reluctantly and insisted I do it with her. I reminded her she cannot have unlimited pain medicine. I told her only dying people and those on hospice can have it.

I sat there until she started to calm. Sometimes Holly just needs a diversion. I left her room once and returned when she started to cry again. I managed to settle her the second time.

It was a while before I got to go to the bathroom and get back at my desktop PC. I was pleased when I went into my room that Holly had quieted. I hope she settled down and took a nap.