Paying attention to detail makes for the personal touch...it is thoughtful and it is kind"
This was a particular manra of my tutor Mr Brint , back in my psychiatric days
I remember it well as in one lession we had, the class was taught how to put ladies hair rollers in!
The ladies were a group of "patient volunteers" from the long stay ward and Mr Brint and a tired looking Occupational therapist were showing us all how to shampoo and set!
" Hair and make up are vital for good self esteem" Mr Brint trilled " Everyone can be made to feel beautiful "
He looked over at me as I manfully tried to roll my patient's grey locks around a roller which resembled a hairy caterpillar
" And how is your lady looking Nurse Gray?" he purred
I looked at my lady's head thick with haphazard looking rollers
" She looks like a German mine!" I told him honestly
His heart was always in the right place
Mr Brint was right. It is attention to detail that makes a difference
I was reminded of that yesterday when I collected my mail from my work pidgeon box
In it was a thank you card.
Hand written from a friend of a patient who had died a couple of months ago now.
The friend thanked me , not for any sparking nursing care but for a small moment of attention to detail where I had " sneaked " into the patient's room , two large rum and cokes from the kitchen booze stores which I had presented to them both on a tray with a paper doily on it.
They had Mr Brint to thank for that one
" Attention to detail Nurse Gray, Attention to detail!"
I was reminded again of all this by a gift pushed through the letterbox
It was a gift from fellow Chorister Hattie and the accompanying letter was written to me and another choir member Heulwen
We of the " Trelawnyd Sandwich" .
Before lockdown we had all agreed to go to the cinema to see Military Wives.
You know the choir based feel good movie
But real life and covid had gotten in the way, so on the first week of the DVD being released Hattie had bought us a copy to watch, one that we all three could talk about when we eventually meet up in Heulwen's garden.
Thoughtful and kind.....
Mr Brint would have approved of this attention to detail....
Ps thank you all for Winnie concern
She is brighter this morning x
Ps thank you all for Winnie concern
She is brighter this morning x
Mr. Brint taught you well ... may someone come into my room with a rum and coke when I need it most.
ReplyDeleteMine too lol
DeleteYAYZ for winnie! someone needs your kindness today, nurse gray!
ReplyDeleteThe old girl has had four cocktail sausages already
DeleteHattie sounds an absolute delight x
ReplyDeleteShe is.
DeleteIf I was ever to have a daughter, I would have wanted one like Hattie
X
ReplyDeleteHello chuck x
DeleteI hope you enjoy Military Wives, I loved it. Lovely idea from Hattie and how nice of your patients friend. I am so glad that Winnie is looking brighter. Sue P x
ReplyDeleteXx
DeleteHattie sounds like she's becoming a real good friend to you. Enjoy your film and post discussion of it! x
ReplyDeleteWe will ....thank you.......it will be nice to thrash the discussion from deckchairs in the corners of the garden
Delete" Hair and make up are vital for good self esteem" Mr Brint trilled " Everyone can be made to feel beautiful "
ReplyDeleteAmen!
XOXO
Lol
DeleteI'm a lost cause ......
My partner is in hospital with a fractured hip. I've been sneaking in a couple of brandied cumquats every day. They just look like innocent pieces of fruit.
ReplyDeleteLol bring in the jar and let him drain the juice
DeleteThis is just perfection. And too, so glad she is doing better today.
ReplyDeleteYes still lethargic but better
DeleteMr. Brint was right. We often underestimate the power those small acts of kindness have. Those "small acts" are often overlooked details.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear Winnie is brighter today.
He was a great tutor .
DeleteCheers for Mr. Brint and all you students who took his lessons to heart for the benefit of every one of your patients. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea Hattie had to purchase Military Wives for you three to view in your homes (sigh!) and later gather at proper distances to discuss amongst yourselves.
What glorious news about dear Winnie. Might we call "lethargic" just "lazy" so it doesn't sound medical?
Hugs!
No she's tired and obviously weak
DeleteShucks ... more cocktail sausages might give Winnie more strength ... but you're the nurse on the scene, so you know best.
DeleteHugs!
See my comment on pizza below ha ha
DeleteIt really is the little kindnesses that make all the difference, isn't it? Thanks for the reminder. Carol in Philly
ReplyDeleteThank mr Brint carol xx
Deletemine was a chemistry teacher that taught us about the pursuit of excellence. i pay a lot of attention to detail and it means a lot to people. it shows that you are thinking about them.
ReplyDeleteTell us more about him x
DeleteOops I read "Psychic" by mistake. Mystic John will tell your future, just cross his palm with silver or a scotch egg hehe x
ReplyDeleteI will never give a scotch egg away
Deletehehehe x
Delete"Hair and make up are vital for good self esteem." Surely, a worthy mantra for us all. 😊
ReplyDeleteAnything to impress a potential snog x
DeleteIs that you with a few rollers in?, the top lot should all be facing the same way (going back) and you need a couple more at the sides to give the style some oomph!
ReplyDeleteMr Brint, l like the sound of him, did he zzush about a lot, l have him down as being quite theatrical about, well, everything really.
Glad Winnie can manage a little somthing by way of a cocktail sausage, a culinary delight for a dowager.
Tess xx
He was a camp as christmas character who loved to ballroom dance
DeleteKnew it! T x
DeleteIsn't it amazing how such seemingly small acts of kindness can make such a difference to people.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that Winne is doing a bit better.
Yes...thoughtfulness in people make me warm to them greatly
DeleteCaring is so much more than health, and it shows. Glad to hear Winnie is doing well.
ReplyDeleteYes, your bread and butter david
DeleteWhen my Nan was in hospital on a restrictive diet, her neighbor smuggled in some jellied eels!! She was completely delighted. She was dying anyway, so why not enjoy life until the end? I hope someone will sneak a gin and tonic in for me.
ReplyDeleteI hate them as much as I do sardines
DeleteI don't know anything about setting hair in rollers, but the set depicted in the photo looks quite neat to me! (Maybe that's not the problematic one?)
ReplyDeleteRum & cokes -- now THAT is kindness. :)
My lady as I recall had very tight toilets so came out looking like orphan annie
DeleteHahaha! Tight toilets... umm what was that supposed to say?? Ringlets?
DeleteJo in Auckland
Ringlets !!!!!!!!! Lol ringlets!!!!
DeleteYes, I'd like a force feed of rum and coke if I catch the virus on my death bed...it would be so nice.
ReplyDeleteLots of ice
DeleteI definitely want a gin and tonic sneaked in for me. Glad Winnie is holding her own.
ReplyDeleteShes had a walk in the garden tonight x
DeleteA friend of ours has been job changed from podiatrist in her hospital to orderly in an older peoples' ward. Just like you, she gives..she gave an older gent a hair trim(including eyebrows, ears and nose)
ReplyDeleteLike you say, it is the attention to detail. Really made his day apparently!
Why do men my age have extra long eyebrows?
DeleteHattie is a true friend isn't she John x
ReplyDeleteShes a lovely woman
DeleteVery thoughtful of Hattie. She knows the secret.
ReplyDeleteI can attest to the attention to detail meaning so much. When my father was in nursing home care, it was the little things that made us both feel like he was still seen as a human being, not a job. That extended to me as his visitor, too. One evening after weeks of twelve hour days being with my father right after his stroke, one of the personal care workers offered me a package of two cookies when she was giving out bed lunch. It made me cry. I had felt so alone. But she saw me there.
Nicely remembered x
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYour picture reminded me of my mother. I used to set her hair and she was happy even if it looked like a German mine....
ReplyDeleteI meant to sat a sea mine x
DeleteThank you for keeping us Winnie updated.:)
ReplyDeleteI bought a pizza tonight on the way home
DeleteShe, like the other dogs adore the crust
She ate her share with eyes closed in rapture x
Good ...makes me smile for you.
DeleteYes it made me smile dearheart x
DeleteOh, dear, I get DH's pizza crusts. Winnie, Mary, Dorothy, and I have something in common. Sweet!
DeleteHugs!
Hooray for the Mister Brints of this world - and those who take their lessons to heart.
ReplyDeleteThat said, much as I appreciate it, unexpected kindness is much more likely to make me cry than almost anything else.
Glad that Winnie is having a better day. On this side of the world so is Jazz. So far.
Good xxx love to jazz
DeleteJazz was the original name of my second bulldog Mabel
When Jazz came to live with us he rejoiced? in the name of Jazzpurr. Which made me feel unwell.
DeleteXx
DeleteMakes me wonder what other unusual nursing skills you are expected to develop besides how to insert hair rollers....
ReplyDeleteI also learned to ballroom dance nick
DeleteRum and coke wouldn't be my death bed choice...maybe a rootbeer float? You should run one of your reader polls where evryone chooses their final treat.
ReplyDeleteVery kind of you, you really take notice of the little but important things. My mom's favorite thing was the twice weekly real bath in a bathtub that they were allowed/ assisted with/ in the nursing home; for years she'd only been able to manage showers on her own.
My point of the blog is that thoughtfulness is not innate
DeleteIt's trainable ...we all can do it with thought and self awareness
I have discovered that some of the bloggers could take lessons in kindness from you, John.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAre you SURE Mr. Brint would have approved of the rum and coke? Not that I care. I approve!
ReplyDeleteWe all should be more like Mr. Brint. Warms my heart to hear the good news about Our Winnie girl.
ReplyDeleteMr Brint sounds amazing ... he taught you well :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's a brilliant film, have some tissues ready though.
Mr Brint sounds like a lovely caring man, out of the many people that cross our path there are a few we will always remember with kindness and at the time may not have noticed just what an impact they made to our lives
ReplyDeleteunsung heroes filed away in our memory.
Give Winnie a cuddle from me.