9 June 2025
A long time ago I saw some comedian express without using a single word the well-known phrase masquerading as this piece's title. He began by pointing to his rear end, then threw up his hands in a shrug and ended by pointing to his nose. Butt Who Nose.
It was a little like that today at Golden Heights when Joyce's sister Judy and her son Andy came to visit. Especially in light of yesterday's step backward.
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TO START WITH, Joyce had no trouble sitting up on the side of the bed and slipping her shoes on. She got her slip and dress on after changing her jersey, which she had slept in. She put on her wide black bet that serves as a physical therapy belt and brushed her hair.
Meanwhile I rolled her wheelchair down to the fish tank where Judy and Andy sat on one of the couches to await her.
She got up from the bed with no trouble, grabbed her trekking pole and walked out of the room, through a valance of medical cars and walkers and wheelchairs to the fish tank. Before she sat down, she hugged Judy and then Andy.
We rolled down to the scale and weighed her at 150 lbs. minus the 39 lbs. 4 oz. of the chair (so 110 lbs. 12 oz. actual weight).
The Pacific room is still locked up so we went to the gym where the occupational therapy kitchen has a table she could have the blueberry muffin Judy brought. She ate about a third of the enormous thing.
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THEN SHE did her three sets of 125 steps on the SciFit before Neil and Wendy the RNAs grabbed her for her Monday walking session with them.
I wasn't sure how far they'd be able to get her to walk. And she tried to negotiate a terminus before she got out of the chair. But I said, "Let's just see how far you can go."
And so we did. She made it all the way around again with just a couple of breaks to sit down and catch her breath.
It was the first time her visitors had seen her walk without a walker. They noticed she was more upright and walked faster. And were impressed.
By the time she got back to the room, it was lunch time. She had just a couple of bites of her solids but drank all her prune juice, most of her milk and a little of her coffee. She had a little lemon pudding, too.
When I asked her which carrot she had eaten she said she couldn't show me because she had swallowed it. Ha Ha.
In fact, she was more engaged in general today, introducing Judy and Andy to Frank, her neighbor across the hall, for example. Both Judy and Andy noticed that.
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IT WAS A RELIEF to see her bounce back after yesterday but the thing that took the cake happened when we were all back in the room and she asked to go to the bathroom.
I really wasn't sure it was a good idea but I didn't want to let the opportunity pass. After all, there are people in the building to help. So I wheeled her in, helped her out of the chair, pull up her skirt and slip, take off the diaper and sit on the toilet.
When she was done, I hit the call button because none of us knew what to do next.
She had to stand up, somehow get a diaper on and sit on the chair. The paper diapers are mysteries to me and I also didn't have any idea when to put it on. Judy gave it a shot but was also mystified.
We enlisted Eric the RN to find Sheik the CNA to help (and both Judy and Andy went around looking for him) but after 15 minutes of looking for Sheik we realized he wasn't coming. And there is no Plan B. You just wait for your assigned CNA. Even the one from across the hall won't leave their post to help out.
In desperation I went to the gym and apologized to Cassie, explaining the situation. "It's your fault anyway," I concluded. "You're the one who showed her how to get on the toilet."
She laughed and jumped up to get her PT belt, running out of the room to save Joyce. She dragged me in and said, "You're doing it." And turned it into a lesson.
She showed me which end is in front, how the paper diaper folds and attaches, and to start putting it on while she's sitting down. Then she helped Joyce stand and we pulled up the diaper. She reminded Joyce to flush the toilet and wash her hands and gave her a high five.
I mentioned pull-ups instead of diapers (because she still has some at home) and she said that would be much better if she's using the bathroom now. They're easier to get on and off. So I'll bring some tomorrow.
She really went beyond the call of duty when no one else would help. Much appreciated.
So for the first time since September, perhaps, Joyce used the bathroom. She may have turned the corner.
But who knows?