A Nurse With Dementia

A Nurse With Dementia

By Paul McCann

There was this little old lady who once was a nurse , 
She was taken by dementia and learned how to curse  . 

She fought and resisted and she would throw things at you .

Attending to her personal care was hard to do  

She would scream and push you away and spit in your face ,

Then when you’d least expect it , she’d  give you an embrace
Her behaviour was due to the condition she had .

Once in a while she was good but most times she was bad .

Some people try to remember the things they forget ,

While others forget those they should remember and yet

Who am I to judge others for what they say and do

I just observe and report and do what I’m told to .

I’m just caring for some people in  a nursing home . 
thinking and reflecting , about people left alone . 

There she would sit surrounded by once familiar things , 
Like people with their walking frames and lifters and slings .

She would see people having falls morning noon and night  
She was weary of the long days teary in the night , 
She was once was a nurse who made everyone feel all right

She said she was sick of living and wished death would come , 
she wandered around aimless until the day was done . . 

When her final moments came , we did our best for her . 
We assisted with the issues of palliative care .

Hygiene and hydration and medication for pain  . 

Then one day she said goodbye and left this mortal plain .