She keeps losing her pen.
She keeps losing her pen. Does she know her glasses are there, on her head? Can she function without a list? Oh, there she goes again She forgot something, or misplaced it. Again. It seems other people are in charge, they keep track of her What does she keep track of?
Well... She remembers every child, every patient, Not just their names, and faces and diagnoses.
Inside that brain of hers, which cannot keep track of her specs, pen or badge, she has an encyclopedia of everything everything that matters.
Your child. Name and face is only the beginning, Diagnoses, allergies, medications, emergency plans, care plans, feed routines - a huge amount of information. Safely stored in between the ears, alongside the information of 100 of more other patients.
But it’s not just that, she also remembers; Your child’s favourite foods, stories, music, hobbies, habits, how to soothe them, how to make them laugh, how to ease their pain, how to wind down, how to distract, how to gain trust. Pets, siblings - and, of course, you!
As a care team we don’t get time to read the whole history before you arrive (care plans - yes we do!), so when we ask about your holiday, pets, work, school, and other family members - it’s because we remember, not because we read it!
She, who never has a pen, also has a plan in that brain of hers for any eventuality the ring-ring-ring of that phone could bring. For any time a buzzer goes off. A constant awareness of all other staff at hand, and her own little track of their special skills, relationships and wellbeing.
She, who always loses (”misplaces”) her glasses, she contains all of that, and is also always looking ahead, planning, for how to best support your child and family, and her team, both for that admission and future ongoing support. For fun activities, but also with grief, continuing care challenges, meetings, reviews, service access. It’s all on her agenda, and it won’t be missed.
So, when she’s “misplaced” her glasses, and lost another pen Just hand her another pen, gently point out the glasses on her head.
Her brain contains all of the necessary information, and she does her job so brilliantly - is it any surprise those things don’t stick?
