Sarah's Story

Tina

Tina arrives right on time. She is 23, having graduated a year ago from nursing school and, been working in home health care ever since. Her usual clients are the elderly coming home from the hospital. She has never had a client so young.

Knocking on the door, it is promptly opened by James.  "Good evening sir. You must be James Rose, Sarah's dad."

"Yes. Tina, her nurse, I presume. Come on in. Sarah is upstairs. Follow me please." They walk upstairs and into Sarah's room.

She gets her first look at her new client, a very young lady recovering from a mastectomy. She sleeps soundly on her bed. Sitting beside her, keeping watch, is a handsome young man.

Josiah, meet Tina, Sarah's nurse. Tina, Josiah, Sarah's boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you Josiah."

"You also Tina." He offers his hand and they shake.

"I am sorry but I must wake Sarah up to start her IV."

"Let me." Josiah offers. He sits down beside her and gently touches her face. "Sarah, my love, we need you to wake up and meet Tina sweetie."

"Josiah? Oh, I am home." She responds as she slowly wakes up. "I was totally wiped. Meet who?"

"Tina your nurse, sweetie."

"Oh," she sits up, "sorry." Towards the new lady, Tina.

"It is okay Sarah."

"Hi Tina. Sorry. Long day. I am not even sure how I got up here." She admits her confusion.

"You fell asleep on the way home and I carried you up here." Josiah tells her.

"Oh thanks." He gives her a smile.

"Sarah, I have to start an IV. Would you like to change first?"

"DoI have time for a shower? Can I shower?"

"Yes to both."

"Awesome." She gets up and heads to her pajamas drawer.

"They need to be short sleeves."

"Got it." She selects a long short sleeves nightgown. "I won't be long." She tells the room.

Tina follows her out. "Be very gentle with your surgical site. Pad it dry."

"Okay. Thanks." Tina knows she is thanking her for the advice and for telling her away from the men.

"You are welcome."

Sarah undresses in her bathroom and stares at herself for a moment. Then, with a sigh, she heads into the shower. She means to hurry but it feels so good that she has to force herself to get out. She dries, pats the surgical site and gets dressed.

"I am back. Tried to hurry but it felt so good to be in my own shower."

"It is okay Sarah. Completely understand. I have spent some time setting everything up. Do you have a side you sleep on?"

"I sleep on my back."

"Then we just need to find a good vein." Josiah sits with her as Tina search's for a good vein on both her arms. "Okay big stick." She warns after finding one. After she tapes it down. "Going to start the antibiotics now. It will run slowly for eight hours. Your father or boyfriend can then remove the bag. The IV stays in. I will change it in three or four days as needed. This gives her an open line for the antibiotics and any other meds, as needed. I will check your surgical site tomorrow. Any questions?"

"No. Not now."

"Okay then. One more thing. If you have any questions or just need someone to talk too, you can call me." She hands Sarah one of her cards. "I know that this situation sucks."

"Yes it does. Thank you Tina."

"I will see y'all tomorrow."

"Josiah, you didn't have to stay." She tells him once Tina leaves

"Yes I did. I had to meet your nurse love. To make sure that she was a good person. Just can't have anyone look after you. Besides, I wanted to tell you goodnight."

"Ah, I love you Josiah."

"I love you."

"So, do you approve of Tina?"

"Yes. Compassionate, quite competent and nice."

"I think so too." He moves to get off the bed. "Do you have to go?"

"No, I can stay awhile."

"Would you like to come downstairs and watch TV with daddy and I?"

I will, if your daddy doesn't mind." It turns out he doesn't. They sit together after Josiah carried IV pole down. Sitting together in the living room, with the the couple sitting on couch and James beside them in the recliner. They laughed, talked and generally gets to know each other better.

By ten, when the news came on, Sarah lay across Josiah's chest, sound asleep. "Would you like me to move him her back upstairs?"

"Yes, if you don't mind." He lays her down then removes the IV bags from the stand, laying it across her and then lifted her back into his arms. "I got the stand."

So, working together, they get Sarah back upstairs to bed. They both kiss her goodnight and tell her they love her. They head back downstairs. Josiah heads home and James heads upstairs to to a shower and bed himself.