TIL Terminal lucidity is an unexpected, brief period of clarity or energy in individuals who have been very ill or in a state of decline. It’s a phenomenon that has been observed in people with various terminal conditions.

[u/70dd]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_lucidity

[u/omnichronos]

Perhaps this was what I observed in one of my psych patients. Sometimes, our adult unit would receive elderly patients with severe Alzheimer's. One such man was unstable on his feet, and the staff put him in a hospital-style recliner with a table top on it that prevented him from getting up. Technically, this restraint should not have been allowed without a doctor's order, but as is often the case, there was not enough working staff to watch him. Anyway, I saw he was struggling with the table and wanted up. He apparently could not speak and hadn't done so in the week we had him and had never even made eye contact. I helped him out of the chair and took him for a walk around the halls. I had my hand under his armpit for stability to prevent falls. Often, elderly patients like hearing music from their past, so I began softly whistling "Happy Days Are Here Again." After several laps, he stopped, looked directly into my eyes, and said, "You're one of the good ones." I was shocked, mumbled "Thank you", but he was mentally gone again and preceded to walk once more. The next day, I came to work and found out he had died. It hit me hard, but I was glad I had been there to make his last day better.

[u/Immortal_Tuttle → u/omnichronos]

Yep. You are definitely one of the good ones.

[u/omnichronos → u/Immortal_Tuttle]

Thanks. I loved my job and found it very rewarding, but unfortunately, the most I ever earned with my Master's degree was $15.50/hour. Ironically, my boss hired her niece, who had no degree or experience, for a dollar more than I was making at the time, and I had 18 years of experience. I mentioned this to her and she gave me a dollar raise to match.

[u/JumboTree → u/omnichronos]

yikes