There's a person under those covers

This morning I was consulted to evaluate an elderly gentleman for dementia. The man had numerous serious medical problems and was described in the chart as profoundly cachectic. This is doctor-speak for “very very sick looking.” So I walk in the room and I see someone shriveled up, lying flat on his back like a pancake, covered with layers of blankets. All I could see was his head, tubes coming out of him, and a pair of large wide eyes staring up at me. I introduced myself and honestly had no idea what to expect for a response, fully anticipating I may not even get a reply.

Sure enough, he responded appropriately and carried on a normal conversation. He was polite and even cracked a joke. When I walked out of the room, I wondered to myself how many people have walked by this person, looked at him, saw how sick he looked, and never tried talking to him. Even if you don’t work in a hospital, you may see such a patient one day when visiting a loved one in a hospital or at a nursing home. If you do, don’t be shy in trying to strike up a conversation because you may really make somebody’s day.