THANKS TO OLIVE FOR THIS.

THIS HAS BEEN DOING THE ROUNDS FOR A WHILE.I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE READ BY EVERY CARER,EVERY NURSE,ANYONE WHO CARES FOR AN ELDERLY PARENT.
It made me cry.because sometimes i forget.


Sometimes we all need to be reminded that there are others out there who need a listener.


CRABBY OLD MAN

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte , Nebraska , it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.
Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri .

The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.




Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses?. . . .. . What do you see?
What are you thinking . .. ……. When you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . Not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . And makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . .. The things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . ..The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . .. You're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . . .. . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . . . As I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . ……..Who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . …With wings on his feet.
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . A lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . My heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . .. . . That I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . ……I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . …. And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . …………My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . …….With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . Have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . To see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, ………….babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . .My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . ….My wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . ………. Shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing . . Young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . …… . And nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . … Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles . . . . … Grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . .. ……. Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . A young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . …… My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . …...I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . Life over again.

I think of the years, all too few ... Gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . .. . . …That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . Open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . See ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet
an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.

We will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched.

They must be felt by the heart.


AND SOMETIMES IT GETS FORGOTTEN THAT THAT OLD MAN OR WOMAN SITTING IN THEIR CHAIR,PERHAPS SCARED AND BEWILDERED WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THEM,WERE ONCE YOUNG.WERE ONCE ACTIVE. take care all.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A LOVELY VALENTINES WEEKEND. IT IS NOT JUST FOR LOVERS,IT'S ALSO TO LET YOUR FRIENDS KNOW THAT YOU CARE FOR THEM.

Mum is still in bed,nurse has been today and redressed it,slowly looking better,antibiotics are starting to work.she did come through yesterday,started to walk,or rather hobble,through into lounge,but her knee locked solid.the arthritis is really bad in it,and as it has not been used,it has got stiff,so i wheled her through in wheelchair. i have felt absolutely awful ever since coming out of hospital last week,my wrist had a massive bruise and i have ached all over.think i caught a bug,as i have really had no energy,which is why the private blog is still unfinished.i will get it done in the next few days,only just starting to feel human again,lol.take care all.

news of a dear friend

pamal3 of Almost 40! wants all her friends to know she has had the operation,and is now at home. being pampered by husband and daughter. has got large scar on her neck with 7 staples in,which she should have removed next week.hope all goes well my friend,and we look forward to your return to blog.
Mums toe is in a hell of a mess.nurse came again tuesday and redressed it,no problem.mum has been feeling better,yesterday i nipped out to do the shopping and another nurse came.didnt have the usual dressing the other put on so used a padded smaller one.i have just had to change it myself,as it had been bleeding,it was far too tight and the iodine soaked gauze they use on it first had dried out.chafing. looks to me like an abcess now. poor mum. i hate her to be in pain. the new blog has now got a name,all will be revealed soon. those interested will be contacted by mail.
i went and had the angio on heart done tuesday,worried about leaving mum but after cancelling twice before i had no choice,tracey came back mid morning,(i went at 10am ) and carol sat with her all afternoon. another friend brian got her tea so she had plenty of company.
frankly it was a complete fiasco. i got in hospital at 11.10,went up to ward,saw staff nurse,no bed at moment for you,but wait in day room,soon be one. another chap waiting in there,my age maybe bit older.also has secondary progressive MS,was in for a pacemaker to be fitted,and frankly,in a hell of a lot more pain with his MS than i am. and it brought home how fast one can go downhill with the damn disease.we sat and chatted,it got to 12.30,neither of us had been offered a drink,no lunch,no tea,no water to take tablets with.we finally had to go and ask for a jug and 2 glasses.he went off at 2 while i sat and waited,eventually a nurse came and put a wristbad on,filledd the normal forms in,explained that the bed i should have had was occupied due to the previous patient,in for same angio,wouldnt stop bleeding.at 3.15 the angio porters suddenly went past,saw me,came in,said morton??? we have been looking everywhere for you.!!!!!! they wheeled me down to angio suite on a wheelchair,much swearing as well,lol.i got changed into gown and paper pants in the waiting area,least a bed was there.my back was crippling me,i had been sitting for 4 hours.as no canula had been fitted,which it should have,and as the registrar was only going to look and check to make sure stents in place and all ok.i was asked if i would be ok,if i didnt need a sedative canula wasnt needed.i didnt thanks.in i went,laid down,connected up,and off we went angio number 5. GOOD NEWS. all seems ok.arteries look pretty clear,angina may be being caused by 2 minor arteries,and tablets will help that.so no stent.back onto ward,told i could go home if bleeding had stopped at 7.after a vile meal of gristle and potato pie (well it wasnt meat lol) i FINALLY got a coffee.the first damn drink i had had apart from some luke warm water earlier. the first time she took air out of the plastic pressure bandage it bled.everywhere. but at 6.30 she finally removed it,and put a dressing on. i was allowed to leave at 7.straight to hospital shop to get sandwich and drink,lol. brian came and got me and i was indoors by 9. mum very glad to see me.me very glad to see comfy chair and later my bed. that is the worse i have ever been treated.the nurses were just rushed off their feet. no excuse to forget where a patient was,or to forget to take him water.not good.at least i know heart seems to be in good shape,and i wont have to have any more work done on it.take care all.ty for all the messages on facebook and mails.