Anger an emotion | Filed under Multiple Sclerosis
Today you will catch a glimpse of me that I do not like it is one of anger. This emotion is one of a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. Why you might be asking, I was provoked by a recent article I read. As a Nurse, I have very strong feelings regarding quality of care and feel there are few Nursing Homes providing this. This is not a result of the people who work there for they have strong desires to provide the care and many leave due to burnout or dissatisfaction because they are not able to provide the care they feel should be provided. Quality of care in a Nursing Home is what angered me today especially when I read an article about a useless death that occurred.
If you want to know more about the article you could find it here.I feel so strong about this story that I am going to provide it for you in case you do not want to go there and read it so here goes…
Dayton Daily News
Nursing home resident dies after sunbathing in 95 degrees
By the Associated Press
WATERVILLE | A woman with multiple sclerosis who sunbathed several hours in 95-degree heat at her nursing home apparently died of a fever, which measured 109 degrees, the coroner’s office said Monday.
Patricia Matney, 49, who died Sunday at a hospital, could walk only with assistance because of the disease and was on a blanket on a patio, the coroner said. Staff members at the Heartland of Browning nursing home periodically checked on her before she was found unconscious in the late afternoon, said Steve Kahle, a Lucas County coroner’s investigator.Matney regularly spent time outdoors at the facility, said Julie Beckert, communications director for owner HCR Manor Care. She was in a courtyard popular with residents and visitors that is monitored by staff, the company said in a statement.
The coroner still was trying to determine more about how Matney died, including whether she suffered heatstroke.
HCR is assisting officials in their investigations, Beckert said.
“Quality care is of paramount concern at Heartland,” the company’s statement said.
People with multiple sclerosis are particularly susceptible to heat because slight body temperature changes can aggravate symptoms of the nervous system disease, such as speech defects and loss of muscle coordination and eyesight, said Kottil Rammohan, an associate professor of neurology at Ohio State University.
Rammohan said he warns patients not to spend much time in saunas or whirlpools and advises them never to sunbathe alone.
Matney lived in the 120-bed nursing home near Toledo since 2001.
Now you know the reason for my emotion that I am not fond of even as I write this, it slowly evaporates. One good thing is knowing how to handle your emotions and deal with them in a constructive manner. Over the years, I have found the way that works best for me but what works for one may not work for another.
I have two questions I leave you with and ask your thoughts on. If this was your family member in the Nursing Home how would you feel and what would you do? The next question is what emotion do you have that you do not like to show and how to handle it ?
Now a few special quotes on anger…
“Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody’s power, that is not easy. ” Aristotle
” Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” Buddha
” Every time you get angry, you poison your own system.” Alfred Montapert
” He who angers you conquers you.” Elizabeth Kenny
Thank you for allowing me to express my anger here in a constructive manner. Take care, my friends enjoy your day and rid yourself of any anger you may have. Yes Life Is Simply Good.
June 29th, 2005 at 2:24 pm
Hey girl, so sad and heart rending. Sunbathing dangerous why would they let her do it? Was the family aware she was doing it? Lot of questions on this one. My mom died in a home and I still have questions.
I have a tuff time with anger. Bad temper! With the meds I take it is intenseified. Fellings are too some not good! Have a good one girl!
June 29th, 2005 at 5:23 pm
*sigh*
That is so wrong..
June 29th, 2005 at 7:36 pm
I saw this article and was immediately saddened. It hits home with my family and the thought of having a loved one spend their last moments on earth that way is horrible. Anger is the emotion that relieves the pressure of a great hurt inside. Once exposed, however, anger must be immediately reigned in to prevent it’s special kind of damage, to you and those around you. Standing ‘O’ for a great post.
June 29th, 2005 at 8:00 pm
Hi Miss Vickie,
Sorry I haven’t been around and that my own stuff has been so depressing lately. I miss our Yahoo chats. I am not sure I have done the right thing. Despite trying to move on from the Ex, the rest of this still doesn’t feel right. I think I should have had a transition time. Sorry for venting this here, but I can’t email from home, don’t have your email at work and can’t email from the library here.
As for the above. That is so wrong. Someone should be held accountable. As I may have said, my father has Parkinson’s and if it had happened to him, I’d be very angry too. But then I’d have gotten constructive and tried to find a way to fix the situation so it didn’t happen again.
As for the emotion, mine is regret. I can’t seem to get over things very easily, hurt stays in my heart a long time. Not grudges, or anger, or not being able to forgive, but just regret over my own actions.
June 29th, 2005 at 8:44 pm
That is so sad and so wrong. How could this happen?
June 29th, 2005 at 9:31 pm
I watched a 2-hour documentary last week on the plight of seniors’ homes in Canada and how desperately under-staffed they are. This topic is near and dear to my heart — the care of seniors. Carl and I volunteered for a few years at one here in Calgary and it was certainly an eye-opening experience.
The fact that this woman was permitted (which isn’t really the right word) to lay unattended in sweltering heat that would surely cause anyone to pass out is abhorrent. Knowing that she had MS on top of it makes it even more unbelievable.
What a tragic, horrible, and senseless death. I can’t even imagine how she must have suffered.
As far as naming the emotions I’d feel were it my family member, I don’t think I could unless I walked a mile in their shoes.
The emotion I don’t like to display is fear — it’s such a primal feeling (is that the right word?) that it’s intensity takes me by surprise.
June 30th, 2005 at 12:38 am
Hello, I got here via a wonderful man, Xavier, who found you through another blogger…….the list goes on. You have a wonderful blog! I have enjoyed reading the first few posts and will definitely come back for more. Many blessings to you and yours…..
Jude
June 30th, 2005 at 6:33 am
I would be consulting a lawyer right now as my anger tends to result in immediate anger. I do not trust nursing homes and hope I die before I end up in one.
June 30th, 2005 at 7:11 am
For one thing, I wouldn’t let my family member be out in the heat like that, knowing how the heat affects MS. I would be livid if the nursing home allowed it and would make sure it didn’t happen to someone else’s loved one.
*HUGS* Sometimes it is good to be angry, for it fuels a fire and you will definitely use it for the good.
June 30th, 2005 at 8:13 am
Victoria, thank you so much for the comment regarding Jeremy. I wanted you to know that he read it last night as did a friend of his. He was pleased in that way that a boisterous young man is when someone compliments him: speechless for once!
I also wanted you to know that you’ve been added to the prayers at church. I admire you so much.
June 30th, 2005 at 8:21 am
I lived together with somebody with MS, and at night she would always sleep without a cover, while I still needed one. What I mean is, that it is really one of the basic things about MS and it surprises me that the staff of the nursing home didn’t know it. I also don’t understand why nobody listened to her, or why she wasn’t able to speak up about it, as I guess that she must have known best what was good for her.
As about anger. Anger comes from fear. All of a sudden we get a lot of energy to act, i.e. to defend ourselves against the source of our fear. I can see why this story will hurt in particular those people with MS or those who have family or friends in a nursing home. I congratulate you, Vicky, for having taken the time to let your anger calm down and for having done something constructive with it. I would welcome more and better education for the staff at nursing homes about the things better to prevent with patients with MS.
June 30th, 2005 at 12:53 pm
What a tragic and needless death. If that woman were my relative, I’d be suing, or at the very least, demanding a complete investigation to ensure that this could never happen to another innocent resident.
June 30th, 2005 at 4:49 pm
I don’t understand how she was allowed to be out there for more then fifteen minutes. Then brought into the shade. Sure it is a little more work but at least she would have been safe. Did they even make sure she had water and stuff. I’m sorry but I think they are a bunch of dip shits! It just makes no sense to do that to anyone. Let alone someone who cannot walk without assistance.
If that had been my parent all hell would be breaking lose right now. I have the power to unleash demons. MY CHILDREN!
Anyway the emotion that I have that I hate the most is confusion. I hate being confused and yet I am in a constant state of confusion. Oh yeah if this was someone else’s life I would have all kinds of advice. But its my life so I am lost. I deal with it by trying to educate myself and by making at least one decision a day that moves me forward.
I forgot what else I was gonna say..oops..((((((hugs))))))
June 30th, 2005 at 4:58 pm
That makes me sad. Sunbathing is dangerous for everyone, but in a care facility they should have been especially cognizant of her condition, and its rammifications. I hope there is an inquiry, and I hope it leads to better care for everyone.
Anger is not necessarily a negative emotion. Anger can be quite good for you, if it spurs you to take action, or relieves you of stress. Only when it’s chronic or out of control should you worry. Otherwise, it’s a perfectly natural reaction, and I would say appropriate to this situation. Maybe if more of us get angry, we can make improvements.
June 30th, 2005 at 8:36 pm
You’ve given me enough of them, so now it’s my turn. Get over here because I’ve got a big ol’ HUG for you.
June 30th, 2005 at 11:06 pm
This is truly sad. She didn’t have to die this way. I can’t believe the staff would have allowed this knowing how MS affects the body. I have the same anger when I think about how the elderly are treated in our society. I volunteer often to deliver meals to the elderly and so many can barely survive because the government aren’t doing enough. So many live in fear because of crime… and many won’t turn on their air systems for fear of the large bills at the end of the month. I know I’m off the subject there…but back to this story, it’s such a shame that a patient had to die alone because the facility didn’t do the right thing.
Thank you for sharing this story. I can see how anger would sit in. But at the end of the day, this anger can turn around into educating others so that this doesn’t ever happen again. Law enforcements must be pressured to get to the bottom of things like this…and it’s up to the people to make shure that the answers given are satisfactory.
Since none of us can predict the future, this story could have been about any one of us. We just don’t know…
Take care of you! KEEP THE FAITH!
July 1st, 2005 at 3:51 pm
How sad and maddening. I get furious when I read such things.
July 2nd, 2005 at 10:54 pm
as for my emotion i feel defensive because i know the staff at this home and people everywhere are assuming it is awful and they are careless ect. But in all reality they are one of the top rated nursing homes in ohio. They excell in the therapy and rehabilitation area, along with a very high success rate for the respiratory unit. They have a very nice and functional alzheimers unit and a friendly, caring staff. I feel I have to defend them b/c who else will?
July 2nd, 2005 at 11:48 pm
I don’t know if heat affects all MS patients this way, but my sis-in-law, who can usually walk with canes or a walker, becomes completely incapacitated in the heat.
Fever in particular, when we were in Hawaii she got sick with fever and couldn’t even walk to the bathroom for over a week, lost the use of her left leg and cried for 3 days because she thought it was permanent.
I couldn’t imagine leaving her in the sun for even half an hour, it would be too much.
Maybe there’s more to this story, but it’s hard to imagine what it would be.
July 5th, 2005 at 11:59 pm
This is not the only person to die at this nursing home as the video on WTVG in Toledo from today. It talks about another that was not cared for correctly at the same location that also died for no reason.
Being out in the sun for hours at that temperature was just inexcusable. I hope somebody gives these people the tools and knowledge to help prevent this from happening to another person.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvg/news/0705_heartlandstory.html#
video link on top.