Saturday, August 20, 2005

So, how was your childhood?

Al & Patty were 2 elderly patients at Camp Cuckoo Nest. I'd say they were both about 75 years old. Al was 1 of the 3 men who were confined to the big wheelchair's with the trays. Patty was ambulatory but I think she had alzheimers disease & also some psychological disorder. Their lives seemed a sad contrast to one another. Here they were, 2 probable grandparents & everyday they reflect on the same things over & over.

Patty would wander what little hallways there were. If one were to use the hallways for exercise, you'd probably have to walk them at least 75 times. Anyways, a few times she'd wander into our room & I'd tell her it wasn't her room & then show where hers was. But she was always muttering about someone wanting to murder her. One day she had obviously been scratching at her forehead & I asked her what happened, she said her mother did it. I asked what did she do? She said her mom put a nail there. Obviously, that didn't happen. But Patty was forever trying to get away from her mom or her brother because they'd hurt her. I wished there was some way to make Patty's memory tape either rewind or fast forward to just 1 good day & stay stuck on that, at least then she'd have happy memory after happy memory.

Al, on the other hand, did 3 things. He said, "I love you." He signed, "I love you." He also had another way of signaling "I love you" by pointing to himself, saying 'love' and pointing to the person. That was all Al did. Most everybody that walked by Al would say, "I love you, too." Whether it would be patient, nurse, janitor or doctor, he crossed all boundaries. It was really a breath of fresh air. I'm not sure what kind of childhood Al had, but I can only imagine it was a happy one. His family may not have had much money, but I'm willing to wager they had an abundance of love. What struck me most though, was that I hope if I ever get old like that, and even have no visitors like Al does, end up with just 3 words I remember, they are the same 3 words Al remembers, "I love you."

P.S. (After 3T's comment, I realized I didn't make it clear that Al & Patty aren't married or related.)

posted by jane at 3:04 PM