Crazy New Girl
I called into work today around 1pm to find out what time I was supposed to come in. The first thing my co-worker said was "Mmmm...we have this new girl. She's a nut....hold on...she's smashing the office window with a chair....what? You want to know what time you come in...uh, hold on....................................(insert 5 minute hold)...........hello? Who's this? I'm sorry, I think you come in at 4pm....uh Hannah, I'm gonna have to go....uh...bye."
I come in a 4pm to the ENTIRE staff crammed into the front office, including both house managers at the same time. It's like a family reunion brought about by the death/insanity of a relative.
"So here's the plan." Starts the main manager. "What have you guys been told about cutting? Okay, this one cuts, and she's serious. It's been a while since we've had one like this. Basically, you ignore it, unless she's cutting open her neck. If it's really deep, ignore it. Don't treat it or touch it yourself. She wants attention. You'll see her laughing and slicing her arm open with peices of glass. And don't give her lead. She has a huge thing for it. What I do is give her the antiseptic and swabs and have her treat it herself. If she's strangling herself, only intervien when it's absolutely harmful. If she hasn't been breathing for more than a minute and a half. Has anyone showed you guys the suicide kit? Have you seen the blade for cutting away strings?"
The staff dispurses in a million directions, with a hundred conversations happening at once. The co-worker who talked to me on the phone briefs me about the day shift alone, because everyone else is busy. Halfway through, the new girl comes out of her room. I'm struck by her. She's a head taller than me and shapely but dumpy. She has golden brown skin and the wildest frow of hair I've ever seen. Her shoulders slouch, and her clothes hang loosely on her shoulders and hips.
I can't tell for sure, but it looks like she's grinning. She knocks on the door several times, and is clearly fixated on my co-worker. After three attempts at attention, she announces to a responding staff "I broke my glass window out."
"That's nice. We'll talk about it after quiet time."
Several minutes later she drags a window pane as big as me out of her room and starts smashing it against the office window. My co-worker and I continue our conversation. The glass breaks, and the house mananger recruits several staff to go clean it up. I grab this opportunity to talk to the girl.
"Hi, my name is Hannah. I can talk to you any time you want if you come up and ask in an appropriate manner. Otherwise, I can't give you much attention." A little while later, she goes into her room. I present the idea to the other staff that that would be a good opportunity to give her some positive attention. They agree, so I knock on her door and spend 5 minutes talking with her.
The truth is, this girl has a weird quality that I love. There is something about her insanity, the way she grows hyper and runs around laughing while she destroys herself and property that is so completely different from any other human I've ever encountered that I want to know it. I spent the whole night with her. Every time we ran across hard news, and difficult decisions, she listened to positive ideas and followed through. Doing the right thing when encouraged is not her problem.
But when she's alone, the things this girls comes up with to cope blow my mind. Thank god she doesn't have an assultive history.
I come in a 4pm to the ENTIRE staff crammed into the front office, including both house managers at the same time. It's like a family reunion brought about by the death/insanity of a relative.
"So here's the plan." Starts the main manager. "What have you guys been told about cutting? Okay, this one cuts, and she's serious. It's been a while since we've had one like this. Basically, you ignore it, unless she's cutting open her neck. If it's really deep, ignore it. Don't treat it or touch it yourself. She wants attention. You'll see her laughing and slicing her arm open with peices of glass. And don't give her lead. She has a huge thing for it. What I do is give her the antiseptic and swabs and have her treat it herself. If she's strangling herself, only intervien when it's absolutely harmful. If she hasn't been breathing for more than a minute and a half. Has anyone showed you guys the suicide kit? Have you seen the blade for cutting away strings?"
The staff dispurses in a million directions, with a hundred conversations happening at once. The co-worker who talked to me on the phone briefs me about the day shift alone, because everyone else is busy. Halfway through, the new girl comes out of her room. I'm struck by her. She's a head taller than me and shapely but dumpy. She has golden brown skin and the wildest frow of hair I've ever seen. Her shoulders slouch, and her clothes hang loosely on her shoulders and hips.
I can't tell for sure, but it looks like she's grinning. She knocks on the door several times, and is clearly fixated on my co-worker. After three attempts at attention, she announces to a responding staff "I broke my glass window out."
"That's nice. We'll talk about it after quiet time."
Several minutes later she drags a window pane as big as me out of her room and starts smashing it against the office window. My co-worker and I continue our conversation. The glass breaks, and the house mananger recruits several staff to go clean it up. I grab this opportunity to talk to the girl.
"Hi, my name is Hannah. I can talk to you any time you want if you come up and ask in an appropriate manner. Otherwise, I can't give you much attention." A little while later, she goes into her room. I present the idea to the other staff that that would be a good opportunity to give her some positive attention. They agree, so I knock on her door and spend 5 minutes talking with her.
The truth is, this girl has a weird quality that I love. There is something about her insanity, the way she grows hyper and runs around laughing while she destroys herself and property that is so completely different from any other human I've ever encountered that I want to know it. I spent the whole night with her. Every time we ran across hard news, and difficult decisions, she listened to positive ideas and followed through. Doing the right thing when encouraged is not her problem.
But when she's alone, the things this girls comes up with to cope blow my mind. Thank god she doesn't have an assultive history.