The Welcoming Committee
March 9, 2010 by Daniel · Leave a Comment
The ride to my new home was unlike a roller coaster. Jerome must have had a lot of patients to move around; we were hitting 15 mph, I swear, up the hallways to the elevator bank.
“‘Sorry for the rush,” he finally eeked out. “I’ve got a lot of people to move out of this place today,” he continued.
“That’s cool,” I replied. “The sooner you get me upstairs, the sooner I may be get some real food.” I had long since lost my taste for chicken broth, gelatin and an occasional cracker or two. I was ready for the real stuff. My appetite coming back meant to me that things were returning to normal.
As we rounded the corner off the elevator on the Cardiac ward, we narrowly missed the nurse, Randy, who had been my favorite first time on the floor. She quickly dodged the gurney, then looked up. “Well, hi there!” she exclaimed. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever be back.”
“Oh yeah,” I answered, “just couldn’t get a reservation.”
“You’re back in the same room,” she explained, “I’ll be down there in a minute to get you settled.”
As we rolled down the hall, I recognized several faces I’d seen now almost a week before. Funny how I hadn’t even thought of any of them, but how important seeing their faces again had become.
We rolled into the room, and there sat Belinda! “What’re you doing here?” I asked. “How’d you know when I’d be back?”
She laughed. “I’ve been here over a week, I was about to give up on you,” she answered. “No seriously,” she continued, “John called me this morning and said they were letting you out of jail on a pass.
“You’re looking pretty good,” she continued. She waited until they had gotten me into bed and walked to the side. “You had me worried there for awhile,” she said as she kissed me on the forehead. “Gotta admit, it’s never boring knowing you.”
The orderly left with the gurney while at the same time John came into the room. “That didn’t take long,” he commented. “Kinda weird you’re in the same room you were in, don’t you think?”
“I’m just glad to see the outside, glancing at the window. The sun shone brightly through the trees at the front of the hospital – I was so grateful to be where I was. “So bring on the feed bag,” I said, laughing.
Belinda reached over to the bedside table and grabbed a menu. “Uh-oh,” she said, “still a diabetic diet.”
I cringed. Though this was going to be solid food, I was sick of the flavorless, non-appetizing selections they were giving me. “Wonder if I could get someone to bring me a big bowl of ice cream?” I asked, winking.
“That’s not going to happen,” I heard, as Randy entered the room. “I see some things didn’t change while you were downstairs,” she smiled. “Still not happy with the food service?”
“I just want something that TASTES good!” I said.
“Don’t want to mess up the apple cart now,” she replied. She walked to the foot of the bed, took a foot and held it. “Wow, there’s a pulse in here now,” she said. “‘Looks like they knew what they were doing down there.”
John strolled to the bedside, straightened my pillows, and sat on the side of the bed. “Well, at last now I can keep an eye on you,” he added. That ‘10 minutes ever hour’ visitation was about to drive me crazy!”
He turned to Belinda. “Ready for some breakfast?” he asked. “I’m sure they’ll keep him out of trouble while we’re gone.”
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s go.” They stood and started for the door. “See you in a bit,” John said.
Randy pulled the stats cart to the bedside. “Now let’s see what we’ve got going on here.” She checked my pulse, temperature, oxygen level. “Everything’s looking good,” she said.
“It ought to,” I added. “I got all new parts.” I reached for the phone and dialed the in-house food ordering service. As I chose anything and everything I knew I could have, I thanked God I had made it back this far. The hump had been a big one, but I was slowly moving forward.
Moving and Shaking
February 22, 2010 by Daniel · Leave a Comment
My stay at the Heartbreak Hotel was now reaching two weeks, and though I knew the necessity of constant supervision to keep me alive, my patience was quickly growing thin.
I’d been in my “interim” room only a day when John walked in with a big smile on his face. “They’re moving you,” he said. “And you won’t believe it, it’s back to the same room you were in on the Cardiac Ward before.”
He walked over and patted me on the arm. “Hang in there, buddy,” he smiled, “we’re finally moving forward here. Don’t rock the boat.”
I smiled and sat up in the bed. “So what’s the next step, and how fast can I bust out of this place?”
“Hold on, cowboy,” he replied. “Remember, they’re still deciding whether or not you need a pacemaker, though quite honestly, that’ll be a piece of cake compared to the last week.”
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Just then Carlotta, a large, attractive nurse, pushed the door open. She’d been my night nurse over the last couple of days; a friendly sort, but one you knew you didn’t want to make mad or meet in a dark alley somewhere.
“Mr. Woodford,” she said, “get your things together. The bus leaves in 10 minutes.” She walked over and began checking my stats with her roll-away cart. “This is what we like to see,” she said, “don’t want you staying too long with us.”
John walked around the room gathering what little I had brought into the room. “No time like the present,” he said, picking up some magazines he’d brought earlier.
She’d barely had time to wrap the blood pressure cuff around my arm when the door swung open again and in came an orderly with a gurney in tow. “Mr. Woodford, it’s time to get you back upstairs.” He walked over and checked my arm band, asked me my name and birthday, and began lining up the gurney next to the bed.
“Wow, this is quick,” I commented. “When you guys hit ‘go,’ you don’t mess around.”
“Need the room,” Carlotta replied. “And since they have another upstairs for you, I want to make sure they don’t give it to someone else.”
I was so excited! I would be able to see the sun again, look out a window onto the world at large, have my own bathroom — funny how the little things become so signficant at times like these.
As Jerome slid me onto the gurney, John stepped to the door. “Room 347?” he asked Carlotta.
“That’s it!” she said. “Take good care of him, now.”
As I rolled through the door, John stopped the gurney. “I’ll go on up with your stuff,” he said. “Meet you up there in a few.”
I was out of Maximum Security and on my way to progress. What was supposed to be a 5-day stay had grown to two weeks, with no mention of going home. Still, the promise of real food, a private room and the joy of true peace and quiet made my newly rebuilt heart jump!
I thanked God as Jerome rode with me up the elevator, then momentarily wondered if the prayer had reached through the elevator walls, unlike cell phone conversations! Oh well, didn’t matter — I knew the answer, and the answer was that God wasn’t done with me yet.
Back To The Business of Heart Disease
October 17, 2009 by Daniel · Leave a Comment
Dinner arrived, and though it looked appealing, there was very little seasoning, and everything had that “healthy” vibe going through it. No chocolate, no salt, no anything that would make your mouth water and your taste buds tingle!
“This is kinda bland,” I said, picking at the salmon.
“You have no idea what you’re up against, do you?” John asked. “Your diet’s about to change drastically, at least for the time being.” He continued. “I’m concerned, though, that they’re trying to make you a diabetic, when you’re not in here for the “typical” heart problem conditions.”
“Oh well,” I answered, “at least my appetite’s come back a little.” I ate quietly, glad to have some solid food in me after such a long day.
“I’ve got to find something, myself,” John said. “I’m going downstairs and will be back in a little while.”
“Why don’t you go on home?” I asked. “‘No need to wear yourself out the first day.”
“Look,” he replied, “you’re my main priority now, and remember, I’ve been through this before. You may not know it, but you need a watchdog to keep these docs in line.” He laughed. “Remember, I WORKED here for 5 years – between that and my mom’s history, I can keep this thing on track.” I had no idea how important that statement would become.
“O.K., O.K.,” I answered. “But promise me you’ll go home early.” He left the room, and I got up and moved to the chair. The room telephone rang, and I scrambled to answer it.
“Lynn,” I heard my minister, Rev. Patty say, “how’re you feeling?”
“Well,” I answered, “a little shaken, but I’m not down yet.”
“John called me earlier, and as much as I want to be there, I have a respiratory infection and am afraid to come down right now.” She continued. “I’ve already got the chaplains praying for you, and I’ll be there just as soon as I’m a little better.”
“Thanks, Rev,” I replied. “But no rush. I’m not even sheduled for surgery, you’ll probably have a lot of time to visit. And about that infection, might I suggest you get to the doctor as soon as possible? You see where mine lead.”
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“Can I speak to John?” she asked. “I want to check on him, too. Oh, and by the way, Jennifer’s coming to see you.”
I love Jennifer. She’s our small church’s Music Director, and if God is ever been expressed through anyone, it’s her. “Can’t wait to see her,” I answered. “I’ll have John call you when he gets back from dinner.”
“You let me know if you need anything,” she continued. “And know we all love you and are praying for you.” We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone.
It’s amazing how when you ask for something, focus on it, and are patient enough to listen to the answers you receive, things start to happen. The minister called, the Music Director was on her way, I WAS loved and protected! And I had no idea what miracles were about to reveal themselves!
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