and what it really was.
By Helene Ibrahim
physiotherapist.
This is what happened...
The ward was big with many rooms. Work went on like we had expected, nothing strange about that! But there was one room, which new trainees were not to enter.
-Don't go in there! we were told several times a day. Only old nurses in here!
We nodded and stayed out, until one day several of the old nurses were absent from work. It was winter and flu.
-We need a hand in here! the healthy and present old nurses said. You had better come along, but be careful! Watch your back and don't let her pull any tricks on you! She's a nasty old, well, I had better leave that out!
In we went, and what we saw was an old lady in the bed.
-Stay right there! the old nurses told us. Don't come close! Just hand us the things, and we'll do the job!
What happened during the following fifteen minutes or so was this: The nurses were to wash the old lady and to dress her and she fought, screamed and -bit! Not a little either!
We were standing behind, handing the things to the nurses like we had been told to. The old lady hit at us in the air and screamed at us all the out-of-curriculum words I have ever imagined existed. And a few more.
-You, see, the old nurses said, when we were safely out of the room again. She does like that every day!
The second woman in the room was crazy, so told us the nurses, though no medical records confirmed it. Anyway, she was quiet enough and didn't make much trouble. Only this: She would not talk to the nurses. Not a single word. When they tried to talk to her, she would simply give them an angry glance. -And she keeps murmuring to herself, the nurses added. Strange thing, she is!
We went out of that "Chamber of Horrors", happy to be out safe and sound.
Now, the funny thing was (funny here means strange), that...