Sundowners' Syndrome

SUNDOWNERS’  SYNDROME

It has grown so quiet,

                No sounds from the hall.

A distant bed signal makes a far away riot

                Seems to be an ignored call.

No nurses go by

                No assistants are here

No patient next bed

                Now here comes the fear.

I was happy today

                My condition improving

My nurses were smiling

                My recovery  was moving

But now I’m growing worried

                My mind full of symptoms

Seemingly recurring

                I can’t turn my light on

The night settles on me

                And the clock runs uphill

I can’t find the button

                But shouting makes me the pill.

My neck is so strained

                And my back is so itchy

Why, oh why

                Is my night nurse so “bitchy”?

I hear a noise in the hall

                “Hello?” I shout, much too loud

A head peeks in, the floor washer

                “Did you call?” he asks.

“Yes” I said, “Could you call a nurse?”

                “Oh,” he said, and walked away

Little did he know how I needed just,

                To talk until day.

And so it went

                Until the day

When the good Doctor would come

                “It’s Sundowner’s Syndrome, I’d say”

“It has a name??”...  “I feel so much better.”