Last night's on call has left me broken; more so than normal as it started with a full on assault from a psych patient which left me limping around with scratches all over my stomach (and some bruised pride as the nurses had told me not to go too close). I ignored them, thinking that this poor confused old man just needed a gentle talking to, sat down next to him and utilised my extremely limited Zulu to tell him to relax ("tambisa". It's an amazingly useful phrase; anxious patients, surgical patients, obstetric patients but apparently not psych ones). Next thing he announces, in English, that he does not want to tambisa, he wants to hit me. And does.
Fortunately he is bed bound so I just had to bid my escape to more than an arm's length away before arranging some sedation.
After that and the obligatory 4 hours of broken sleep I am really looking forward to my quiet weekend in Ingwavuma with nothing more exciting than an inaugral trip to church on Sunday to disturb my peace.
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Church eh Caroline? Not your usual scene hey?!! I remember our conversations last year Christmas time after the Brompton Oratory!!
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You did well to resist this long.
ReplyDeleteHan