Report of 26 July 2020
Good evening!
The sea is blue, as is the sky. Sunlight is on the entire vista. At about this time yesterday, we had pouring rain, which I also enjoy.
Rain is a big deal in an agrarian country and in a farmer family. My mother's family still grows rice and coffee. Some adventurous sorts have diversified to pepper, cardamom, lychees, but the main crop is still coffee. Conversations - even long distance - revolve around rain and my mother's first question to anyone on the phone used to be "Did it rain?" That became a standing joke for my sibs and me, to ask of anyone, "Did it rain?," and then laugh uproariously. The question used to come to me from sibs even when I was in the U.S. Still, rain is a big deal here.
We are well. I was at the Banyan last week and was beaten by a patient. Ms. X had come to me conversationally earlier that morning, and asked if I knew why she was beating people; I said I did not and she said it was because she wanted to go to the beach and play. Scott and I had tried to drive by the beach the previous week and knew for a fact that access was barred, so I could tell Ms. X honestly that no one was allowed on the beach, that the B would take her when access was allowed, and to not beat people. She agreed. Later that morning, as I was defusing a crisis and typing on the phone, she came up to me and beat me on the upper arm twice. I raised an alarm, a nurse distracted the patient and then we were left alone again. The second time Ms. X came up to me, I stood up and told her that if she beat me, I would hit back. She hesitated, I said it again, louder, and a health care worker came and took Ms. X to the isolation room. There was some issue in the isolation room and then Ms. X came back at me again; I had really had it by this point and stood up and told Ms. X that I would take her teeth out if she tried anything.
Later, I asked the staff what they did if a patient beat. They said they were to hold the patient's hands and ask why she was beating. I discussed this with Vandana over phone messages and Vandana said that mentally ill patients rarely beat - she and Vaishnavi had lived with the Banyan's patients for 8 years and such incidents were rare, she said. She said the converse was more frequent, that mentally ill citizens were often subject to beatings. This is true. We also know that staff who beat patients at the Banyan are instantly terminated and I told Vandana that if she wanted to terminate me (for the threat I issued), she could.
There is a survival instinct in most species, isn't there: we do what we must to stay alive. I was the lone staff in the Medical Care Unit (MCU) when Ms. X came at me, and had to keep from getting beaten. The staff are discussing this issue, including the need to not leave the MCU - or any unit - unattended.
So that was the excitement. I am very glad I work out, thus could ward off the blows and state quite firmly that I would hit back if beaten.
We spoke to both children and they are well. Both have nice roommates whom they are grateful for. Both are also cooking more, which is nice to see.
Scott and I ventured out yesterday for our weekly shopping expedition. We bought the essentials and headed back. Folks were out in full swing, masked and sanitised. Cases continue to climb in India, and a dear friend and former classmate lost his 48 year old cousin last week to COVID.
To get some of the population healthy, I have a health challenge: I issue a suggestion weekly and if followed for a day or a week, I ask that the doer contribute Rs. 50 - Rs. 100 (about USD 1) on Friday to a charity of their choice. This week's suggestion is: no sugared beverages. If you'd like to try it, please do.
I will shortly go talk to my father. That is always fun.
Unw -
R
The sea is blue, as is the sky. Sunlight is on the entire vista. At about this time yesterday, we had pouring rain, which I also enjoy.
Rain is a big deal in an agrarian country and in a farmer family. My mother's family still grows rice and coffee. Some adventurous sorts have diversified to pepper, cardamom, lychees, but the main crop is still coffee. Conversations - even long distance - revolve around rain and my mother's first question to anyone on the phone used to be "Did it rain?" That became a standing joke for my sibs and me, to ask of anyone, "Did it rain?," and then laugh uproariously. The question used to come to me from sibs even when I was in the U.S. Still, rain is a big deal here.
We are well. I was at the Banyan last week and was beaten by a patient. Ms. X had come to me conversationally earlier that morning, and asked if I knew why she was beating people; I said I did not and she said it was because she wanted to go to the beach and play. Scott and I had tried to drive by the beach the previous week and knew for a fact that access was barred, so I could tell Ms. X honestly that no one was allowed on the beach, that the B would take her when access was allowed, and to not beat people. She agreed. Later that morning, as I was defusing a crisis and typing on the phone, she came up to me and beat me on the upper arm twice. I raised an alarm, a nurse distracted the patient and then we were left alone again. The second time Ms. X came up to me, I stood up and told her that if she beat me, I would hit back. She hesitated, I said it again, louder, and a health care worker came and took Ms. X to the isolation room. There was some issue in the isolation room and then Ms. X came back at me again; I had really had it by this point and stood up and told Ms. X that I would take her teeth out if she tried anything.
Later, I asked the staff what they did if a patient beat. They said they were to hold the patient's hands and ask why she was beating. I discussed this with Vandana over phone messages and Vandana said that mentally ill patients rarely beat - she and Vaishnavi had lived with the Banyan's patients for 8 years and such incidents were rare, she said. She said the converse was more frequent, that mentally ill citizens were often subject to beatings. This is true. We also know that staff who beat patients at the Banyan are instantly terminated and I told Vandana that if she wanted to terminate me (for the threat I issued), she could.
There is a survival instinct in most species, isn't there: we do what we must to stay alive. I was the lone staff in the Medical Care Unit (MCU) when Ms. X came at me, and had to keep from getting beaten. The staff are discussing this issue, including the need to not leave the MCU - or any unit - unattended.
So that was the excitement. I am very glad I work out, thus could ward off the blows and state quite firmly that I would hit back if beaten.
We spoke to both children and they are well. Both have nice roommates whom they are grateful for. Both are also cooking more, which is nice to see.
Scott and I ventured out yesterday for our weekly shopping expedition. We bought the essentials and headed back. Folks were out in full swing, masked and sanitised. Cases continue to climb in India, and a dear friend and former classmate lost his 48 year old cousin last week to COVID.
To get some of the population healthy, I have a health challenge: I issue a suggestion weekly and if followed for a day or a week, I ask that the doer contribute Rs. 50 - Rs. 100 (about USD 1) on Friday to a charity of their choice. This week's suggestion is: no sugared beverages. If you'd like to try it, please do.
I will shortly go talk to my father. That is always fun.
Unw -
R
posted by Renu at
4:39 AM
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