The Patient

4. ANYTHING

I have seen that house before! But where? Where?
Mindy tried to jog her memory and closed her eyes for a second but nothing came to mind. Also she was in danger of falling fast asleep if she did this longer, so she blinked and shook her head, then closed her cellphone. She began to eat the sandwich she had just toasted, then drank the juice in can that she had hastily bought from the Vendo before coming to their lounge.
Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was already near eight am. Time to see the progress of each of her six patients, in preparation for doctors' rounds.
Mindy went back to the nurses' station and took her paraphernalia for taking vital signs, a stethoscope and a spare sphygmomanometer, in case the patient is not yet attached to one.
Pat, the night duty nursing aide, had already finished assisting Mindy's patients in their grooming needs and changing the linen. Mindy found her assisting the patient in Room 407 sip water while still in side lying position. The patient's attending physician is due to make his rounds by ten am and had not yet changed his complete bed rest orders.
"Thanks for the back rub and that gargle of cold water to lessen this heat I'm feeling due to this enforced bed rest! If I could just sit up and have a cup of coffee... I'd be in heaven!" commented Mrs. Gomez.
Mindy laughed. "Your doctor is in the nurses station already. He will be here shortly. Let's see if he can grant your heaven in a while!"
As if on cue , there was a knock on the door and the doctor entered with a smile. Pat went out quietly with her equipments, while Mindy stayed to assist him. She reported what transpired last night and the resident' s orders, as well as the expressed wishes of the patient. The doctor examined Mrs. Gomez's progress and asked for more relevant data from the patient herself.
In the end, Mrs. Gomez was granted a modified version of her wishes: a moderate back rest and a cup of ice cream in her favorite vanilla flavor!
"Oh, that is just so heavenly!!! Thank you doctor! And thank you, too , miss Mindy! " said the patient as Mindy pressed the button to adjust the upper part of the bed .
" just remember, no hot drinks! And no coffee, nor tea!" warned the doctor. "Even if it's iced! "
"Yes, yes, doctor! My baby is so precious, I wouldn't do anything I knew is bad for him, if I just have the right information beforehand ! " Mrs. Gomez remarked passionately.
" So we will provide you with a complete list of things and activities to avoid and why ... Nurse Mindy will see to that, OK?! " the doctor handed a small piece of paper to Mindy with a print out entitled : Placenta Previa : Do's and Don't s . , with the admonition- " please discuss this with Mrs. Gomez. Thanks."
Mindy glanced at the print out and said, " consider it done, doctor! "
And as the doctor closed the door, Mindy started reading aloud and explaining the list one by one.
It was already eleven am when they finished the health education session, just in time for the final checking of her patients' status and recording in the nurses notes.
By twelve noon, she was off duty, and on her way to the hospital canteen, where she found Keith waiting for her.
Keith is one of the pharmacists employed by the same hospital, and thus one of the numerous patrons of the canteen. And therefore well acquainted with the other hospital staff, even to Noor...And Mindy realized, if it was Keith who visited the old man in 409 before his death, Noor would have referred to him by name, not just ' the young man'.! And looking at Keith now, Mindy resolved to leave for later whatever enigma the old man's comment had planted in her mind. As for the present , she would seize moment of happiness with her beloved and not let anything spoil it! ANYTHING!!!
(*£*)