September
2
A Smile And A Kind Word
It was my first night shift at the nursing home and I was looking forward to it. I arrived early so that
the evening staff could aquaint me with my duties. After the hand over my colleague(Dot) and I did a check on all residents. There was eighteen bedrooms and when we arrived outside the door of room number eleven my Dot said “We don’t bother going in that room.” I thought that perhaps whoever was in there did not like to be disturbed so I followed Dot to the next room. Throughout the night we checked on all the other rooms but left room eleven in peace. Next morning we started serving breakfast and whilst Dot went one way I went the other until I came to room eleven. I opened the door, walked in and placed the breakfast tray on the table. There was an old gentleman lying in the bed and I woke him gently. “Stan” I said, “here’s your breakfast.” I smiled at him as he opened his eyes and saw a look of bewilderment in them. I gently helped him sit up and helped him eat his breakfast. I gave him his medication and proceeded to wash and dress him. I made sure to keep a smile on my face and look him in the eyes. Eventually he started smiling back at me and holding my hand. I carefully guided him down to the day room and asked Dot which was his favourite chair. Dot looked at me as though I had taken leave of my senses and retorted “I told you we never go into his room we leave him for the day staff because he’s such a horrible man.” I didn’t understand he seamed charming to me. I sat him down and made a point of smiling at him every time that I passed him.
My shift finished and I went home but I could not get the look in Stan’s eyes out of my mind. I later found out that other staff members had trouble with Stan because of his condition and instead of taking time to build a trusting relationship with him they ignored him. I served Stan his breakfast every time I was on duty and gained his trust, so much so that I used to go in during the day and bath him as he had not let anyone bath him for two years. I took him a cup of hot chocolate in at night and held his hand and talked to him before he went to sleep.
Sadly on Christmas day I got a call from the home telling me that stan was failing fast. I drove to the home to see him and found his wife there, she had asked the day staff to phone me. As I walked into his room she told him that I was there and he opened his eyes and looked at me , he lifted his frail hand and I held it in mine. I told him that I loved him and that he was my special friend and I smiled at him. He smiled back and his smile lit up the room, then he closed his eyes and died.
His wife was kind enough to say that he had fought all day and waited for me to arrive before he died because out of all the people that had been responsible for his care I was the only one that took the time to show him love. Just a kind word and a smile can make someones life more bearable. Stan’s wife thanked me for the kindness to her husband but the real thanks for me was having the pleasure of knowing him and seeing a smile return to his face every time I walked into his room. It was a real honour to have been your friend Stan and I will never forget you.
