Aging trophy wives of wealthy elderly patients

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I had an interesting patient this week, a local multimillionare. He started a famous nationwide firm. He is in his late 80's and has been fairly disabled for the past 7 years from a CVA, but was alert and oriented, and able to clearly communicate all of his irritable demands to those around him.

His wife of the past 35 years was at his side. They live in a 17,000 square foot home (she informed me). She looked to be in her 60s, so she was probably over 20 years younger than him. She didn't look or act like someone who was born into wealth or education whatsoever. In fact, she struck me as someone who would feel at home in front of a slot machine in a Las Vegas casino, with a cigarette in her mouth, sipping on a gin and tonic, and clutching a bucket of tokens. In short, she was less than classy or sophisticated. She managed to constantly mention all of their lavish possessions. For instance, when I was admitting him the first day and going over his belongings, she kept saying how expensive the diamond was on the ring that he was wearing. She also managed to work into the conversation many other things about their opulant house, all the people who wait on them hand and foot, etc and so forth. She was pretty unsophisticated. It was extremely entertaining. :chuckle

[leslie :-D]

it sounds like she came from 'nowhere', and as a young woman, aspired to marry into money.

whatever makes her happy.

leslie

[ebear, BSN, RN]

Bless her heart! That's probably all the enjoyment she has. Can't take it with you. I've never seen a UHaul behind a heorifice.

[linzz]

I just love the post above about the UHaul behind the heorifice. Really though, this bragging type of personality seems to make me annoyed but yet amused at the same time.

[Dolce, RN]

She was probably a gorgeous blond when he married her. I have heard that the trend of wealthy men marrying dumb trophy wives is starting to wain. I think men may have started to notice that it is nice to have a wife you can both look at and have an intelligent conversation with.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

You gotta read this, about a gal seeking a guy to be his trophy wife. It's hilarious.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I always wondered how the men with trophy wives could have any self-respect knowing that their wives just married them for their money. It's so pathetic.

I like to imagine that people like that really love each other as people -- even though I know they probably don't. But I guess it is possible ....

In the OP's case, the marriage lasted 35 years.

[MikeyJ, RN]

I don't know why people get so upset when they encounter people with loads of cash who flaunt it, or those who marry for money.

There are people who live for money, and if that is what makes them happy... then let them live that way.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I don't know why people get so upset when they encounter people with loads of cash who flaunt it, or those who marry for money.

There are people who live for money, and if that is what makes them happy... then let them live that way.

I don't recall mentioning anything about being upset. I was just sharing about my interesting and amusing patient and his wife.

[Grace Oz]

The genuinely wealthy rarely boast of their wealth, position, or material possesions.

It's a bit like pretenders claiming to be nurses! lol

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Oh, these people are genuinely wealthy, they are well known around here. They are probably the richest people in this county. The man's personal attendant is a CNA with whom I worked years ago. He left working at our hospital to be a live in caretaker for the patient and has been there ever since, having his own apartment for himself and his son on the premises. He puts up with the gentleman's cantankerous ways in exchange for a generous salary with benefits. So, even though the people are demanding, they are decent employers.

[RN1980]

She was probably a gorgeous blond when he married her. I have heard that the trend of wealthy men marrying dumb trophy wives is starting to wain. I think men may have started to notice that it is nice to have a wife you can both look at and have an intelligent conversation with.

well if i was a wealthy man i'd have a gorgeous knockout wife that would turn heads, as far as having brains or a conversation i'd get a smart girlfriend on the side for that...