I had a severe morbidly obese lady a few days ago. When I started the shift she was listless and had flat affect, pretty much no response to me. She had been a walkie/talkie before entering for surgery
I spent the day turning her, talking to her, making her bend her knees, move her arms while helping me move her (I had been told she was pretty much dead-weight, no assistance whatsoever, so encouraging her to get more active). I talked to her, teased her, hugged her (I am not usually a touchy-feely person; having my personal body space invaded really disturbs me usually). She became tearful around midday, apologizing for being such a bother, etc. I told her nothing doing, she was doing the best she could and moving even a little would help her in getting stronger. Toward afternoon, she was smiling for me and even laughed once.
Her laughter brightened my day. And it almost made me cry. Sometimes those patients that seem not to give a darn are the ones in the most need of encouragement, even when they become snarly 3
