Oops, I didn’t mean to say that

Have you ever said something and then realised it could be misunderstood? I find that happens all the time with my carers. Here are a few classics.

One day one of my carers had come in from a very cold outside. I was warmly wrapped up under my duvet. She got the water ready to give me a bed bath and pulled back the duvet. When she touched my skin she exclaimed “Wow! You’re really hot!” Then realising that could be misconstrued she corrected “I mean your temperature, not your body.” Sometimes we just need to stop digging.

One time Mary was sorting out care for her elderly Dad and after finding out they were really organised she said “They’re on the game.” Meaning, of course, really on track, up to speed or on their game.

When I stayed at a nursing home once I was asked by a 17 year old carer how old I was. When I told her I was 57 she said I looked much younger than that. Still glowing with the joy of being told I looked youthful by a young lady I was unprepared for the next carer who came in. She was in her early 20’s and asked me the same question. I gave the same reply and awaited the response in eager expectation. “Oh, Umm, yeah, I guess so.” She mumbled looking at me quizzically. Talk about highs and lows.

Another time I had received a minor pressure mark from a sling used to transfer me in a nursing home. It was inside my thigh quite high up. The sling used is called a toileting sling and has an obvious use and less obvious ones, transfer to baths and showers. I am convinced they were designed by and for women because the straps that go through your legs come excruciatingly close to a part of the male anatomy that doesn’t want crushing. They also cut into your legs. I now have my own toileting sling that is much better padded, but this happened a few years ago. Hence the minor injury. A few days had gone by and two carers were checking to see if things were better. In a nursing home you always get two carers at a time. You can read a bit about that in my blog Body mapping.

I asked how things were and one of the carers said “Your groins excellent!” She said it with a surprising degree of enthusiasm. That’s one comment I was happy to take out of context, in fact I quoted it at the breakfast table, the dinner table, at tea…. Oh yes and I have posted it here.

There is one last mis-quote which I have touched on in my blog Not so public convenience. I was at a nursing home and had suffered an injury from using a urine bottle in my wheelchair. One of the carers asked if I had ever used a Conveen. I said I hadn’t, so she suggested I try one that they had. One of the nurses who was on duty and doing the rounds was drawn into the conversation. She said, “Oh no! He’s much too big for the Conveens we have.” One thing men like to do is boast about the size of their manhood. But, before I go any further I should point out, they only had the smallest size in stock and I am average. Conveens are primarily measured on width. Still I had a moment of feeling good about myself. I didn’t mention this at breakfast.