ENOUGH ALREADY

IT'S BEEN SIX WEEKS since our lives were turned topsy-turvy and we've met more new folks than we possibly could have imagined two months ago. Not only medical people, but pharmacists and cleaning women and dieticians and you name it. About the time we feel that maybe we're resuming what used to be a normal life, another character appears. Once Mr. Bob returned to our two room apartment, a visiting nurse appeared with a bevy of questions. He appears at 7 in the morning which no longer fits what we once called a normal life. We consider that an early time to be up and around, so he's accepting us in our nightwear. It's one of the ways our standards have relaxed since we moved to the Manor. Several of the maintenance crew have seen me in my nightgown and sometimes when the technician lets herself in at 5:30 a.m. to draw Mr. Bob's blood for protime he just extends his arm from under the sheets. The informality of it all is astonishing when we stop to think about it.



So, like it or not, we're getting to know Arvin, who is appearing twice a week at the crack of dawn to poke and probe and listen and make copious notes. He's a nice man, but an intruder, nonetheless.

This week Iris appeared. She's a physical therapist assigned to get the man to exercise, probably a good idea, for our own good intentions never quite come to pass, left to our own devices. She'll be appearing twice a week for a while before leaving us on our own to keep up the patient's strength. Mr. Bob's a good subject and willingly follows her directions, with no complaints and a lot of good humor.

Now a Clinical Psychologist wants to come see Mr. Bob for a psych review. No doubt a little black mark will be put into Bob's chart, for he's turning down the offer and in his telephone message he told Dr. Lehmann that he has an ample support group for his current health challenge and that his time is filled with doctor appointments, home nurses and physical therapy. Enough's enough. 

"A psychiatrist asks a lot of expensive questions your wife asks for nothing. "

                                                          ~Joey Adams