Chocolate Anyone???

Walking down the hall one Valentine's day I hear a little old lady calling out, "Chocolate anyone? Anybody want some chocolate?" I entered her room and found her sitting there in her wheelchair with a brand new box of chocolates her nephew had brought her. She was wearing a red dress and was the picture of an elderly valentine queen.

Chocolate Anyone???

Maybe she would win the contest at the nursing home. I smiled when I saw her, she had chocolate smeared all over her face and hands. I was pleased that she had enjoyed herself so much. I asked her "Is that good?"

She nodded yes and said, "you can have a piece."

I explained that I was a diabetic but thanked her and proceeded to go out and get a washcloth to clean the chocolate off of her face and hands. I got the washcloth and returned to her room and wet it with warm water. She was an Alzheimer's pt and often was very combative and angry. She had a tendency to yell and scream out obscenities.

I wanted this time to spend with her when she seemed so lucid and at ease. I wanted to talk to her and asked her if her nephew had brought her the chocolate. I asked her who the pictures on the wall were. She was able to answer pretty correctly. I had an awful cold, and my nose was so stuffed up. An aide came in and made a horrible face. "What is that smell?"

I shook my head, explained I couldn't smell a thing. Never once thinking that the "Chocolate" was the culprit.

My little old lady with her gray hair pulled up on her heard in a graceful bun was smiling. I remember thinking that she was so happy, maybe I should bring her chocolate more often. I remember really wishing I could share this moment with her, maybe eat my own piece of chocolate with her sometime. Just to know that it brought her such pleasure, and would be nice for me too, would kind of give me a chance to "cheat" on my diabetic diet a little.

"Would you like some chocolate?" she asked the aide.

The aide opened the box to get a piece and almost gagged. She quickly covered the box and said, "No thank you."

I looked inside expecting to find holes poked in the chocolates, instead, however, all the chocolate was gone, and inside each small brown paper cup was a nice, rolled up ball of poo. Upon further inspecting her nails I realized that it was not chocolate I was cleaning up. We wheeled her down to have a shower and I returned to dispose of the Russel Stovers wanna be's.

She never noticed they were gone. And from then on out I did occasionally bring her one small piece of chocolate, and I would have a sugar free piece of my own. I still laugh when I think about it and have to wonder if she realized what was in the box or not. Needless to say, I will never accept candy from a patient.

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NurseAlwaysNForever

About NurseAlwaysNForever

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Oh, man, I should have known where this was going by the title. But I'm such a chocolate (the REAL thing) addict, I just had to read it!

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Specializes in floor to ICU.

haha- so funny!!! thanks for sharing

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Specializes in med-surg, rehab, LTC.

:icon_hug: Thanks, I needed to read this story today.

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ha ha ha i really enjoyed this story, i had a good laugh, next time do you think that since you work in ltc and with having a cold, a decongestant would be appropriate? mummm, maybe not!!

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Specializes in Hospice, LTC.

I don't do long term care any more. I'm into hospice, but it might be beneficial in any nursing field.

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I can see this happening in the nursing home I work in. So funny!

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

LOL, just knew where this was going by the title so HAD to read it!! Aren't they precious...gotta love those little old Alzheimer's patients....

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