So I was working in long term care after covid started and received a patient that was almost the same age as myself. She had no kids but was married to a much older man. I did not care too much for her husband. He was an older southern white man. And let everyone know that he was superior. People that acted and carried on as much as he did really discussed me.
I can’t stand that holier than thou attitude. No one is above anyone else in this world, I don’t care how much money, status, or fame you have. We all came into this world the same way and we will all leave the same way. No matter what your skin color or pedigree you are. Just putting that out there. This patient’s husband was mean, disrespectful, and cruel to my patient. But she was head over heels in love with this man, so I didn’t say much about her husband to her. He was a mechanic and she was a housewife. She contracted Covid and had been on a vent for some time. So long, in fact, that she had contracture deformity of some of all her limbs.
The main symptom of contracture deformity is reduced ability to move an area of your body or if you can it causes pain. She needed to have a lot of therapy but wasn’t willing to do the work. Sad really, her husband didn’t help with the gaslighting he did, which brought her self-esteem even lower. He just seemed to have what I call “bad energy”. I know I have said this before, but just someone that brings the energy level down to a dark level.
On this particular day, he was unhappy with the care his wife was getting from the facility. On his way out the door he decided to curse at one of the CNAs and called her a “Bitch”. Another resident heard him call her this and protecting the aide he started cursing at him. The husband starting walking towards the resident who was in a wheelchair, in which, I intervened, and asked him to leave the building.
So now all his anger was directed at me. He started to threaten me saying he “had a gun in his car and would use it”, that’s when I took my cell phone out and dialed 911. By this time the supervisor that was on duty showed up to help. She was speaking with the husband and I was speaking to the resident that was in the wheelchair. Who was still cursing at the husband while I’m on the phone with the 911 operator. The supervisor was able to talk the husband into going out the front door. “Good thinking” I thought. A
fter you exited our building through the front door you were locked out, because the door automatically shut and locked after you went out. I could hear him screaming, “You don’t know who your messing with. There’re plenty of windows in this place and I have many scopes on multiple fire arms.” He was that type that could possibly take something to the next level.
I had calmed down the resident in the wheelchair and was still on the phone with the 911 operator when she heard him say the threat to my supervisor. She said to me, “Did I just hear him threatening her?” I said, “Yes ma’am you did!” “Officers are on the way.” About that time I saw the visitor walk to his car towards the passenger side and open the door, he looked up and saw an officer in his patrol car drive by. He closed the passenger door and walked around the car, got into the driver’s side, started his car, and calmly drove off. Sometimes I think that day could of turned out worse, but that police officer showed up just in time. I was very grateful. The patient was transferred out in the next few days and her husband wasn’t allowed in the building after the incident.
You know who I felt for that day was the patient. She didn’t seem like she had anyone really looking out for her best interest. Certainly not that husband. I still think about her sometimes and wonder how she is doing. I hope she is better and doing well.
ANY NAMES OR CHARACTERS TRATS USED IN “GUN CONTROL” HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE IDENTITY OF ALL THOSE INVOLVED. PLEASE SEE DISCLOSURE PAGE.
I’m so sorry you had to go through such a harrowing experience. Thank goodness it turned out the way it did. Thank you for your work. 🙏🏼
I’m disgusted daily by human behavior. Especially at a time of uncertainty when we could all use some patience and compassion. Thank you for the job you do. I can’t say that enough. Sincerely.
Thank you and your right there isn’t enough compassion.
It has nothing to do with guns or gun control. It has everything to do with people and how many of them are deranged. You will never be able to control a person like this husband or protect the patient from him if she doesn’t want protection. But you did the right thing reporting him. The police didn’t seem to follow up with him. They should have. He should have lost his rights to his guns because he made repeated threats to unarmed (or so thought) persons and that was enough for him to lose his guns IF HE HAD LEGAL GUNS. One day this guy will kill somebody, probably his wife. It is a very difficult situation, but to do nothing at all, to remain silent is the worst thing you can do. Putting him on record is the only thing you can do, and then is still takes time and no one is safe until it comes to head.
I agree
That is crazy.
Gun control, that on-going never to be addressed issue…my brother lives in Florida and he says the problem is spreading like wild fire…most of his friends have a gun in their bedside tables in case of a break-in. Glad you managed the situation so well and averted a disaster and that the police arrived so promptly.
That’s a real indication of life in a gun state, sad state of affairs in the US that you need to
Wow, you do such amazing work. As someone who lives in a country where guns are not common place I cannot imagine what that situation was like. Thank you for sharing xx
I am so sorry you went through that. Sounds like you did everything as well as could be and while I too feel for the wife’s position she did pick that guy and he sounds like a real piece of work, as my grandmother would say.
Yea he was more than a piece of work