Moments

Chapter Two - Part 1

           

At 9:12pm after so many unyielding clicks of the second hand, I was told by Secretary Pinky that I was allowed to go to room 317 and see my dad.  What if he's there? I'm so going to give him a piece of my mind! Will he understand my yelling in English? Body language! I'll speak volumes with body language!  I tried to quiet the voice in my head as I exited the elevator on the third floor and approached the phone to request entrance to the ICU.

It didn't look like I expected.  The large room was divided into patient rooms on one side and opened into a large nurse's station on the other side.  A narrow grey granite counter ran the length of the hallway and opposite the counter was a wall of glass to enter each individual patient room.  317 was the first room on the left.  I approached the nurses' counter and leaned over to talk to a young looking woman manning the phones and computers.  She looked like a student, dressed in navy scrubs with soft looking curly auburn brown hair to her shoulders. 

"Can you tell me what paperwork that man had regarding my dad in 317? I'm his daughter, Lyssa.  It was called an advanced something."  I wasn't sure my dad was going to be up to giving me any answers and I had been stewing for a long time.  She nodded and smiled warmly while pulling the chart marked 317NG out of the rack and flipped to the top tab.

"Well, it looks like about five years ago, your Dad appointed Mr. Torres as his durable power of attorney for healthcare.  It means that if your Dad is unable to make his medical wishes known, that Mr. Torres has the legal authority to make decisions on his behalf.  That's really the most I can tell you about it, but his nurse tonight is Diane and you can ask her if you have more questions."  She pointed to the nurse who was bronzed, beautiful and stood confidently talking to the family of another patient. 

I mumbled my thanks and turned back towards his room.  Mr. Torres huh? Why didn't dad pick me? I guess five years ago, I might have been considered young for that responsibility but Mr. Torres doesn't look that much older than I am. My mind roamed through question after question as I approached his room.  I could see him leaning over the bed.  I paused by the door, radiating hostility, and tried to listen.

¿Por qué Joseph?  Dad's voice was weak and muffled by oxygen tubing and the hum of monitors and IV machines in the room. A deep breath filled me and I realized how thrilled I was to see he was alive, awake and able to talk.  My relief helped to wash the anger I had away.  He'd been in the hospital hours but already he looked pale, his short, light brown hair was a mess, and his usually brilliant hazel eyes completely lacking their sparkle.  The oversized blue hospital gown made him look smaller and older. 

The strangers' response was so fast and his Spanish so fluid, that I didn't even catch a single word.  Dad nodded in response and actually chuckled then glanced at me and smiled.  Mr. Mysterious stood up and stepped to the back of the room.  Yeah, back off prick!

"Are you OK Dad?"

"I'm fine Lyssa.  The doctor said you saved my life."  I grabbed his hand and sat on the edge of the bed careful not to nudge the tubing from the IV.  I hoped that the stranger would see he was the one not welcome here, that my dad loved me and needed me - only me.  It had been just the two of us for over fifteen years, no one needed him or his advanced paperwork.

"I was so scared Daddy.  I didn't think to see if you had a pulse.  I should have done that." Tears started to stream down my face and the guilt I felt was evident in the sounds of my voice and the lack of color in my face. 

"The nurse told me I had a pretty big heart attack.  If I understood right, my heart went into some weird heart block and I passed out.  I don't remember much except that it hurt... a lot and then I blacked out.  You did a great job baby-girl." He only called me that on very rare occasions.  It was his best attempt to comfort me and I knew that the endearment was meant to reassure me.