The tumor ain't in her ear folks

11th floor, day one.  It's the crack of freaking dawn (okay, it's 8:30) and we've already had a resident and med student by to do their exams.  I find that I have to sit on my hands during these things because they just don't speak "Mom" and end up assuming things about her functioning that aren't true.  Like this morning. The fourth year had come in to do his exam, which consisted of the same questions the nuerologist gave her late last night and the er doc gave her yesterday. She wasn't responding, or at least not quickly, and I could tell he was getting more and more concerned as evidenced by his increasing VOLUME and use of slow, simple sentences. "Mary, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE?"  "MARY, WHAT DAY IS IT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS? WHAT DAY IS IT?" Dude, the tumor ain't in her ears.  SHE CAN HEAR YOU. Doesn't it occur to anyone that someone with attention issues from a brain tumor might not want to answer the same questions over and over and over? Plus, she has mouth sores, hasn't eaten in 24 hrs, and just woke up. It doesn't mean her brain isn't working. Shit, the way they ask questions and the pacing overwhelms me! The best was when the neurology resident came in during his exam to do her own, which of course consisted of repeating everything.  "Mary, follow my finger.  FOLLOW MY FINGER MARY." Jesus Christ. I'd bite her finger if I were Mom. I got a nasty look for laughing during the following exchange:

"Mary, do you know what MONTH it is? WHAT MONTH IS IT MARY?" No response.

"Would you like some CHOICES?"

"No!"

Talk about something she cares about, and she'll answer. It makes sense. If you have only so much energy to expend, why waste it on the freaking date??!

D