To All My CNA and Nurse's Assistant Friends Working With The Elderly

For many years, I worked with the elderly, both in nursing homes and privately. I was good. I was conscientious and I (thought) I was gentle. Days like today bring home to me that even gentle is not enough, when the body you are assisting, is dealing with chronic pain.

I now deal with chronic pain, in my knees, hips and back, courtesy of arthritis and osteoporosis. It is a pain that, at times, is almost unbearable. The deep dull throb at its center, no matter where that center is, exudes a stomach clenching grip that brings nausea immediately to your throat, whilst making your toes curl with a mix of electric shock and coldness. The overall feeling is a helpless hurt that you'd give anything to stop, but know that it is in control, and it will run it's course. Sometimes it will come in waves and wash over you. Others, it will arrive like a microburst and be over moments later, having let you know that you can do nothing to stop it.

I feel sick to my stomach now, thinking of some of the frail ladies and gentlemen that I cared for. When they said it hurt, and I was "being gentle" I didn't realise that THIS is what so many were going through. 

When I heard the moans in the night, or dried tears, I did not KNOW how that pain can wake you from the deepest slumber. I do now. There are nights when I sob, even after applying the oils that relieve some of the pain. When I groan into my pillow. When I cannot turn over, or sit up, the pain is just so intense.

I  feel so bad. So many of the assistants didn't even attempt to be gentle or considerate, they had x residents to "do" in x hours, so it was all matter of fact and like clockwork, dehumanizing in many respects. Disrespectful in others.

Please, if you work with the elderly or those dealing with chronic pain issues, understand that - until you experience it - you do not know how bad that pain is. It is not just a little ache, it is a searing and debilitating pain. Even "gentle" is not what you think. Treat these sufferers as fragile, as delicate as a rare porcelain. Then you will really be "caring" for them.

Great news!

Well, I'm late updating, but yesterday was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! The visit with my doctor couldn't have gone any better, it was amazing.

The past week, I've been using www.sparkpeople.com to keep track of everything I've been eating, basically to track the sodium of everything, so as to help lower my blood pressure. It's an awesome site and can help you keep track of your nutrients and composition of the foods you're taking in.  My doctor had also upped my meds last week ... wow, yesterday my blood pressure was 118/64 ... and I'd LOST just over 8lbs in the same number of days! I was soooo happy (and so was she!).

So, yesterday was great ... added to which I had a new team member join me with AVON. Woohoo!!! That's always exciting! I love helping people achieve their own success, watching them blossom and then soar.

Today, one of the games closed on the group I'm in, and I won a $70 order from doTerra! I do love my oils, so that was awesome. Made my night!

I am feeling very content right now, and very thankful that my blood pressure is doing so much better than this time last week!

Have a great weekend, my friends!