They just don't make 'em like they used to...

Since starting at this ED, I've had at LEASTTTTT 5 patients a day with either Chest Pain or Stroke. This usually means a patient demographic greater than age 70. And while some certainly have less chutzpah than others, can I just give a shout out right now to the really COOL old people. And when I say "old" I mean at like 80/90 years old people. And specifically the ones with spunk and character.
I've met the SWEETEST old grandpa's and grandma's in the ED. For example, this one patient I had last weekend, was the sweetest frail grandpa, with more hair on his eyebrows than I'm sure he ever had on his head, who presented to the ED with A-fib. As I was doing my history and exam on him, he just kept saying "I love seeing just nice young people doin' sumpin' with der lives..." (CUTE!) I asked him what he did for a living and he said he was a plumber. I said "well that's real good work right there. That's a great skill to have. Did you put it to use in your home too?" and he said yes, he was married to his wife for 60 years and she's with him in the nursing home too now but as he put it "she's got the old-timers so she can stay with me. But I'm the only one she likes to have around. She doesn't like much of anybody else" (CUTEEE) I then asked him if they had any kids and he said "Four girls! We had a good life... a good life." (ok cue eye's watering as I'm trying to perform my neurological exam!) So adorable. Just the NICEST guy. And for those of you wondering, he did have his family come in and sit with him while we worked him up and we didn't have to admit him. He was an absolute peach. Just a sweet soul.
And today, I had another similar experience with an adorable grandma. She was 85 and she was in because of chest pain. She told me she woke up not feeling so good this morning but still went to the community center for her exercise class (CUTEEEE) and she rode her stationary bike (she said she rides 3 miles a day! at 85!!!) and she took her blood pressure at the community center and it was in the 200's! So she decided to walk the 2 blocks back home and that was when she really didn't feel well. :( As I was telling her she'd have to be admitted for more labs and observation she began to get tearful and say "But I need to call John (her neighbor)... I've gotta take care of my husband. I can't leave him alone at night. Someone's gotta stay with him..." omg I wanted to say "I'LL STAY WITH HIM!" she was so cute. And she was downplaying her symptoms the whole time because she didn't want to have to be admitted to the hospital because she was her husband's care-taker and he sun-downs pretty bad :( Here is this spunky, tough, sporty, do-it-all grandma and loving wife... and it seems she takes care of everyone else but herself. It was so sad. I hope someone takes care of her as well as she seems to love and take care of everyone else. I tried to do that for the brief few hours she was in my care.
I sincerely wish that everyone I ever run into - even the crazies, the drunks, the hypochondriacs, the narcotic-seekers. I just wish everyone has someone to take care of them. Because whether you're one of those adorable good souls who truly deserve it, or one of the crazies that maybe wouldn't BE so crazy, or attention-seeking, if they just had someone to care about them a little more. I'll try to remind myself of that, next time I'm with one of THOSE patients. And until then, I hope I get LOTS more of the patients like A and B here to keep me motivated.
xoxo
Mego