Photography © Chad Parenteau
Anger
Phyllis had COVID-19. Everyone who came into her hospital room became a recipient of her anger.
If a nurse came into the room, Phyllis would usually say something like this: “You know, if you were doing your job, I wouldn’t be in this bed. You haven’t been doing your job. I don’t like you. Get out of my room.”
If a social worker came into her room, Phyllis would usually say something like this: “You’re wasting my time. Would you go waste somebody else’s time? I don’t like you. Get out of my room.”
If a chaplain came into her room, Phyllis would usually say something like this: “You’re living in a world of illusion. Would you grow up? I don’t like you. Get out of my room.”
If a hospital volunteer came into her room, Phyllis would usually say something like this: “What’s wrong with you? You want to volunteer to be with people who are suffering. You’re sick! I don’t like you. Get out of my room.”
In developing a care plan, one of her caregivers wrote, “We have a problem. It’s anger. Phyllis has got it, and we need to somehow figure out a way to get rid of that anger.”
In developing her care plan, another caregiver wrote, “My role is to be yelled at.”
Debate continues at that hospital to this day over which of those two care plans was the best.
Doug Smith teaches at Northern Michigan University.
Chad Parenteau is Associate Editor of Oddball Magazine.
My husband suffered through seven major operations to save his life from aortic aneurysms. Normally he was a polite, gentle man but not when hospitalized. Then, he was very angry. I spent most of my time conducting damage control after overhearing hospital staff complain about his behavior. I completely understood and commiserated with them!