An inexplicable morning

Yesterday morning, for some reason, my nurse decided to give me my suppositories early. I should have asked if I'd be allowed to get up twenty or thirty minutes later. But I didn't because I thought that went without saying.

I waited thirty minutes and spoke to in the nursery monitor that I needed to get up and go to the bathroom. I said it several times but nobody came. I just couldn't figure out why one person could not walk down and tell me what was going on, and why no one was in here helping me. I would think I could get on the bed pan, at least.

No one showed up until after 8 AM. By then, my diaper was soiled. I could not hold the suppositories any longer than an hour. Even doing that was very difficult.

The aides got me up sometime after 7 AM and put me in the bathroom. I was in there for a while because I had to wait for them to pass trays and feed people in the assisted dining room.

I was hoping this was just a fluke and that it would not happen again. I could not understand why neither night shift nor the dayshift aides, when they first arrived, could not get me up. They must've had to do more critical care residents than me.

When aides do not do a job, I always wonder why. Sometimes they don't like the job. Other times they don't have any discretion on their own to make a decision. Perhaps a nurse or someone else is preempting what they do, and what they're allowed to do for me.

They're not back talking me, like the aides did at my previous facility. And I have no idea why those aides did that. Did it make them feel better to make me feel worse?

Then, later in the day, almost as a way to make me forget the horror of the morning, they asked me to go on the Walmart outing with a handful of other residents. I didn't want to because I've been sick for over two weeks with bronchitis. But, I was longing to get away from this building, view other things and see other people.

It took all kinds of aide persuasion to get me to the bathroom before I left. That should just be common practice to get a resident ready to go on an outing. But I see they probably only take a certain few – the ones who give them the best PR.

I went on the outing. I helped the other residents. I looked for things. I got a few things for myself. I also bought a bottle of orange nail polish to donate to Activities, so the ladies will look festive for Halloween.

I understand almost everybody's needs (residents and staff) here.

All I would like is a little understanding.