SUNY Upstate Medical University - Auricle Yearbook (Syracuse, NY)

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ANDREA BURLEIGH JANET P. ELLER LAWRENCE PALMIERI JAN M. RIGHI 177 LAURIE LIPSY

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The silent patients speak by Anita R. Wildhaber, R.N. Though we can ' t speak, see, nor move of our own will, we are living beings. We are your stroke patients, the brain-damaged, and all your other patients who by illness or injury, are locked inside the dark, silent shells of our bodies. We can ' t cry out in pain or discomfort, regardless of how severe they are. We can ' t express anger, despair, disgust, nor even happiness. But hear us, you walking, talking, feeling, doing be- ings. Some of us are aware. We hear, think, and know. We are not living vegetables, nor do we think we would be better off dead. We still have enough self-respect to be embarrassed at hearing your conversations about your personal problems and your sex lives. We are frightened by your conversations that relate the latest gossip on the questionable ability of the doctor who is responsible for our care, for his knowledge must be used to save us if we are ever to recover. We feel shame at having our bodies exposed for any and all to see. It does matter to us that we must lie in feces or urine for hours, and our muscles ache with pain from the strain of remaining in one position without being moved. We can feel our mouths fill with mucus, drying and caking to form ulcerated areas. We can feel the stomach cramps from ice-cold tube feedings poured down the feeding tube with all the speed and lack of concern of pour- ing water down a drain. We can feel the pain of our skin breaking down from poor and careless nursing care. We can also feel joy — the joy derived from the firm, gen- tle, touch of a person giving us good care. We can rest more comfortably when we are bathed, when our mouths and lips are cleansed, when our bodies are correctly positioned, when good skin care is given, when our beds are made neat and straight. We can appreciate the kindness of words spoken directly to us and not about us. We can appreciate being told what procedures are about to be done be- fore they are begun. We can have some hope when you take measures to prevent our muscles from atrophying and you carefully place our hands and feet in function- al positions. For we know that the proper positioning, exercising, ' and supporting of our bodies can prevent us from being hopeless cripples when we break through our shells. Most of all, we are prayerfully thankful to you who give us the atten- tion, care, and respect you give your patients who are physically and mentally alert. It is you who give us hope and the courage to try to establish nerve pathways that will make these useless shells of muscle, bone, and tissue respond once more to our commands and in time re- turn us to the world of speaking, seeing, doing, functioning beings.

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ROBERT L. SIMMONS CYNTHIA STRAIT JILL D. TAYLOR 178