My Favorite Patient

My favorite patient is my private duty patient. I've had a longer relationship with her than with any other patient--so far about 2 1/2 years.

She was born "normal" (as normal as any of us are!) but sustained a brain injury when she was a toddler. The injury left her totally dependent on others. She cannot dress, bathe, reposition, or feed herself. She's in her 20's now, and it's amazing that she is as stable as she is!

She cannot talk . . . but I can tell she knows me from the look of recognition on her face when I say "hello" to her in the morning when I arrive for my shift. She expresses her likes and dislikes by her facial expressions, also.

She's on multiple medications for her seizures and other hazards of immobility. She's fed through a g-tube, and receives medication through an implanted port periodically to treat her osteoporosis. She has a trach, although I'm not sure it was necessary to perform as she's never been on a ventilator. Her past records are not in the chart, and her mom isn't clear on the reasons for the trach, either.

I've found that in this situation I care for the family (especially her mom) as much as for my patient, who I'll call SL (NOT her real initials!). DL, her mom, has built her life around SL. There are a lot of interesting interpersonal facets to the family, which also includes DL's husband, KL, and their other children (who are on their own), CL and GL. I enjoy using my Behavioral Science/Psych training with all of them!

I enjoy the job because I am able to use my technical skills, but am not pressured by having several patients to care for at a time. I can take my time with SL and spend time talking with her mom, when she needs to talk.

It's time to make supper for my family now (hamburgers on the George Foreman grill), but I'll be back within the next few days!