My hero is a story from when I was working on the lock down unit/dementia unit. I took care of an elderly man who was small in stator. He didn’t speak any English and when you spoke to him he just looked at you and smiled. Although he was a small man he was strong and I was always told to not turn my back to him. I wasn’t sure why, but didn’t ask just blindly obeyed. I’ll call him Simi. I also took care of a retired police officer who was very tall almost 6’5. I’ll call him Mr. Bill. They both could walk and they walked around the unit freely. Mr. Bill was very kind but could get aggressive if someone provoked him. Simi was like a stealth Ninja, he was very quiet and very fast.
As I sat at my desk the residents could walk behind me to get to the living room area. Also the desk wasn’t very large maybe 3 feet long. There was a computer and a phone, which didn’t leave much room for anything else. Most nurses would leave their stethoscope on their shoulders draped around their necks in case it was needed in a hurry.
Everyone was in a room helping someone or at lunch one afternoon. I was on the phone addressing some issues that happened earlier in my shift when I felt someone grab both ends of my stethoscope and pull, choking me.I happened so fast I couldn’t do anything but drop to my knees. I couldn’t breathe, or scream, or yell. My stethoscope was getting tighter. I was getting dizzy, and tried to reach around to whoever had a hold of me. I couldn’t reach them.
Then I hear someone else and it was Mr. Bill, I felt a release and I turned around coughing endlessly, I see Mr. Bill who had Simi in a head lock and was bringing him to his knees. I only saw that move on police shows. Mr. Bill saved me. I say loudly, ‘Mr. Bill, Stop! Right now!’ He looked surprised but stopped. I said, ‘Thank you,’ still coughing, ‘ you can’t choke other residents, but again thank you for saving me.’ Mr. Bill didn’t say much. He was a man of very few words, he just looked at me, smiled, and then went and sat down. Simi was sitting on the floor coughing and bewildered. I helped him up. And now I understand why someone told me you don’t turn your back on Simi. I guess I learned the hard way.
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