103

One of my more recent patients was a 103 yr old German lady. She was unable to communicate very well, was really agitated whenever any one went near her and lay almost curled in the fetal position for most of the day and night.
Turning her and changing her every 2 hours was a challenge.

The things she’s seen, the changes she’s been through and all to come to this moment, on a thin-mattress stretcher in the back room of a small community hospital struggling to repair and return to her familiar surroundings. I would have loved to speak with her for a bit.

She had one flash I think, early in my day, when I’m almost certain she knew what was going on. I loudly gave her a “Guten Morgen” and proceeded to tell her in very broken “Google German” that I was going to wash her face ( Ich werde dein Gesicht waschen). She gave a small moan and turned her face into my hand when she felt the warm cloth against her cheek.

Then an IV started alarming, the phone on my desk was ringing and another patient was wheeled into the empty spot in my room needing my attention.

Back to rushing, and charting and helping and moving….my hand still warm from washing the face of lady who was 103.