The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-04-12
HOUSEHOLD CHAT.
Few Timely Words CT Advice Abou
Nucs:ng tho Sick.

Few Timely Words CT Advice About
Nucs;nT tho Sick.
Some people who are unti.ing in
their care and watchfulness while o
patient is very sick, relax their vigil
lance so soon. as they arc oensidered
cut OF danger"
They are like . .teamster who, hav.
ing "scotched" the wheels Of his wagon
III. q steep grade, pulls away the blocks
before he is fairly con the lavel;" the
load slips back, and the work has ali
to be done over again. - 80
A sick person must be ,rell-advanced
an tie "platAau. of convNlescence," be.
fore the nurses care lessons They
must. he guarded against themselves,
as well as against others, and tlici,
strength should mover Ire estimated By
their ambition. :,.,~.-.'~
IT is very natural for enc who has
been Shut in from seeing and hearing
what is going on in their small world
to over-exert themselves III their anxi'
ETY. to "cetch up again.
On the other hand, the good friends
and reigllbors. Who have submitted
gracefully 10 the mo admittancc" sign
while there was danger, think when a
person is able to sit up; Surely J. may
90 in and sec them; | wont stay too
long, or talk too much, OF do anything
TO hurt them
And one, pcrhapz might not: but if
Mrs. A. goes in, she is sure to tell Mrs.
B. when she sees her, and if Mrs, y. is
not admitted she feels hurt, and if she
Is admitted Mrs G.. d., E. and all the
rest troop in after her, and the patient
has a relapse which no one can account
for
There is no rule to be followed, how
ever, in this matter. for while one per-
son thrives on company and enjoys
two or three callers 4 day, another
tires with one or even with too much
conversation among mem bers of her
own family. It is j case where previ-
ous experience and good judgment
must rule.
when they hardly know what they
want; or when they refuse it fearing
to make extra trouble for the nurse;
that is something to learn; to discriin-
mate between such times, and those
other times when the mere mention of
food scllens them.
It is not necessary to keep q patien t
on diet OF ''swect Stops" as certain
invalid tapioca Oatmeal, gelatina and
other like preparations tc be eaten
with sweetencd cream. Any wholesome
food, wcll-cool;ed and rot too hearty
for a digestion thai can not be aided
to any extent Try exercise, IS. suitable
for convalcscent, and no dcnbt every
householder knows how to suit Che
taste of her particular ''sici' folk in
this respect; bat whatever is given
them, it mast be daintily served, and,
if it is supposed to be eaten hot, have
il piping hot when YOU carry it to
them: it vii! cool fast enough after
they commence eating. AID ii their APP
petite is not very good. o smut on
dis, or napkin, or. q sickness on the
handle Of fork or spoon will spoil The
incest cookery for them; and it Will be
the same if they have to wait, even 50
few minutes over the time when they
expect, and should have. their meal.
This will seem "fniclly' to q hearty
person, by whom such triilcs would
never be noticed. but to an invalid, one
whose vigor is barely equal to TIE task
Of living, and whose whole interest
centers in this food as the means Of
giving back his strength, moie-hlls are
mountains, and a delayed lunch mat
| ter of Importance.
Nursing is largely labor OF love, or
should be: for the most sllillful OF
trained nurses can not do for Us what
one Of "our own prompted by love
and & desire to help us can do.
Remember that; be patient with
their fretfulncss; bear with their
whims, make them think the care you
take of them is no care, but Il pleasure;
keep {; cheerful face before them and
have always CHEEKY ring in your voice;
il can be done if You really try, and will
have better effect On your invalid
than all tho stercotyped words Of en-
enlargement to be thought Of; and
may success attend Jour efforts 10
leGO Blade.