Working provides endless topics of inspiration: For example, here was a fella who talked non-stop. When he drifted into somnolence, he continued talking. And when he was conscious, his speech was peppered with four-letter profanity, aimed at his caregivers. I thought, "if only I could freeze his mouth for a couple of days"...................................

Reflexive Refrigerant Response

Conversing 24 hours a day

Does that classify as dementia?

Speaking in tongues at the top of his lungs

His sleep is in absentia,

24 hours is too damn long

To be foul mouthed and belligerent,

If he won't be quiet or zip his lip

I may have to fall back to refrigerant,

Freeze him up in mid-sentence

Words trapped in his frozen mouth,

When the doctor comes in to assess the man

I'll say, “Sorry, but he went south”.

That's well known slang from the Civil War

Attributed to General Sherman,

This case bears some vague similarities

With an outcome, we must wait to determine,

The reflexive refrigerant response

At times, cools the brain and the mind

With passive rewarming in a week or two

There's no telling what progress we'll find,

But thankfully, during that period

Peace and quiet will permeate our place,

And the doctor agreed to cover us

It was that, or get sprayed with mace.

Fibril_late;
6/2/08