Hush, the doctor is here.

7. Another patient

Confused, I stared at the elderly woman laying in the bed before me.
Miss Smith was written on the chart at the end of her bed.
Had I really been visiting this woman for the past three days to read her a book?
Why can't I remember that?
The woman stared back at me while laying completely still.
There wasn't a single emotion visible on her face, like a corpse but only not dead.
She didn't say a word, the only thing that moved were her eyes.
Brian had told me she's suffering from something called locked-in syndrome, meaning she knows what's going on but she's locked inside her body and can't respond.
They are trying to teach her how to communicate with her eyes.
I looked back at Brian, still confused.

"And I've been here for three nights to read to her? I feel so stupid, I really can't remember that..."

Brian picked up a book from the table and handed it to me.

"Here, perhaps if you see the book you'll remember."

Alice in wonderland?
I've been reading children's bedtime stories to a elderly woman?
The book itself did look familiar but looking at Miss Smith, with her gray hairs and wrinkles, I couldn't picture myself reading these types of stories to her.
She looks like she would enjoy something more mature, with more depth.

Miss Smith still laid completely still, her eyes now focused on me.
Does she remember me?
Brian said she enjoyed my company.

Brian opened a closet and got a bag of food out before walking back to miss Smith.
When he approached her she started to move more with her eyes and blink a lot.
Brian just looked at her and smiled.

"Miss Smith, just a second. I need to replace this bag. I'll get the list in a second and then we can figure out what you are trying to say."

While Brian was changing the tube feeding, I sat down in the chair next to Miss Smith's bed.
I still couldn't believe I remembed nothing about ever meeting this woman.

"I'm sorry."

I breathed out softly.

"I must seem so rude to forget you. I'll try not to do it again."

Brian chuckled softly while he finished up what he was doing.

"I'm not sure how far you were in the book but I'm sure Miss Smith doesn't mind you starting at page one again."

Next he got a list and turned his attention back to Miss Smith.
Her face was slightly turned towards him.

"Blinking once is yes and twice is no. Are you in pain?"

She blinked once.
Brian placed the cart to the side and started to feel the sides of her body asking her if he found the spot.
Near her feet she blinked once again and Brian inspected them both.
A little pillow to make sure her heels were free was all it took for him to fix her discomfort.

"Gorgeous? Mind getting me a washcloth from your room? Miss Smith's nurse has a private day today and I haven't stocked her room up yet."

"Sure."

I said carefully getting up from my seat and grabbing my crutches, I was happy to help.
When I got back Brian had Miss Smith's face turned towards the seat I sat on earlier.
He took the washcloth from me and with some cold water he carefully washed her face.

"Allright..."

He said when he was done.

"Have fun with each other, I got some cleaning and stocking up work to do. Try not to tire yourself out too much, gorgeous. Just like Miss Smith, you still need to rest a lot."

"I won't."

I chuckled a little amused, how tiresome could reading a book be?
Brian turned at the door and gave me a semi stern look.