Friday, August 21, 2009

Tragedy

So, I was out shopping with Grey Cloak today when I got an emergency
call from work. They said the needed me down south for an emergency room
visit. I gladly accepted and put shopping on hold. I get there and go in
to find that another person had been there before me. Great! My client
hadn't been without services. However...that service-provider was
nowhere to be found. I guess she had left while the client needed a
moment of privacy, but had been gone over 15 minutes. So, I arrive to
see my client in bed with a nurse trying to communicate WITHOUT a
service-provider. I was livid! How could a service-provider just LEAVE
and not be able to be found...ESPECIALLY in the ER?!?! Ooh, I was angry.
But, I was there and could take over. Whew!

So, my client. He is deaf and legally blind. The previous
service-provider didn't inform me of this...I learned it on my own. So,
naturally I adjusted my communication strategies, which was great!
Finally, he was able to communicate.

The more I'm sitting here, the more I'm upset with ER care. I understand
they're busy, but it feels like the other 2 patients are getting quite a
bit more attention than my client. The staff here have checked on the
other 2 several times and mine once in the 2 hours I've been here. Other
times, I've had to go flag someone down. My client has asked for
something to eat 4 times. FINALLY, the staff ordered him a meal. I have
no idea when it'll get here and the man is hungry!

So, that's my rant about ER services. Now, on to the condition of my
client. He came in because he inhaled some smoke from a fire. I suspect
(from my observations) that he has zero income and very little services
from the state. He lives alone. He should either be living in assisted
living or in his own home with in-home care. He does not get that
service. He needs help with his daily care. His fingernails are long and
have dirt accumulated underneath. He has long, unkempt hair and beard.
His eyes are all red and goopy. And right now, I don't think he
understands what's going on around him. I think he's on survival mode.
He's hungry and doesn't know what to do.

And, I don't know what else to do for him.