Franks Psychiatry 5 #71: looking forward to a homecoming

yes
I can tell you what happened

yesterday
she took her clothes off
and started walking around
in the corridors
and past all the other residents
again

the senior nurse noticed
and asked me to do something about it
so I nicely took her by the hands
and led her to her room

she even smiled at me a little
though there’s not much expression
on her face

well
we entered the room
and oh
she was as quick as quick
and without any warning
she turned her hands over
and dug her nails into my wrist

really hard

I screamed
the pain was excruciating
and she forced me down to my knees
by digging harder

I thought she’d cut
right through
to an artery

it took all three of the other nurses
that I was on duty with
to prise her fingers out of me

oh
I was a hell of a mess afterwards
don’t worry about that
blood and tears
emotional trauma

gob-smacked

all last night I was nearly hysterical
and my husband got so angry
I think because he felt helpless
swore he wouldn’t let me go back
to work

the thing that stuck in my mind
was the way she stayed silent
showed nothing on her face
and yet I could tell she really meant it
really meant to hurt me

yes
I’m at work again today
I mean these people need care
don’t they
and someone has to do it

but enough of that
how is she doing in the acute unit
when is she likely to be discharged

we need to get ready
for when she comes back home

~