Your Healing Touch

Chapter 5

5 years later (Present day)

"Jasmine, you have a new patient added to your rounds today. He's requested new nurses to care for him twice now. Let's hope you can work your magic with him," Maria, my charge nurse, updated me. It was around 7:30am and I along with the rest of my team were getting caught up on everything from the night nurses while assessing how our day might go.

I had heard about the patient from my best friend Angela. She was one of the nurses he wanted to switch from. She was a sweetheart when it came to caring for her patients so I didn't know how the man could find fault in her service. He must be a real grouch. Although, I couldn't fully fault him. He was a gunshot victim which meant he experienced some sort of trauma he obviously hadn't worked through yet.

"I will do my best to provide him with excellent service," I promised.

"I know you will," Maria smiled at me. "He may need some pain medication depending on how he's feeling. I'm sure you'll have no problem detecting if he's in any sort of discomfort."

I didn't doubt that. From what I'd heard he was constantly complaining to all the staff and I'm sure he would be no different with me.

After a few more minutes the report ended. Then I looked over doctor's notes, lab work results and determined the order I would go to see my assigned patients. The first patient I went to see was an elderly woman who had fallen at her home and broke her hip. She was now in recovery and going to physical therapy a few times a week. Today she was going to have one of her sessions.

Rounding a corner on the way to her room a smile naturally found its way onto my face. Mrs. Peterson was one of my favorite patients. Even when she was first admitted and in much more pain she never complained. She was an angel who often was surrounded by numerous family members. There always seemed to be someone with her whether it was her daughter or one of her sons. She also had several grandchildren she constantly talked about.

I had barely stepped into her room when a dreadfully familiar phrase caused my heart to almost stop.

"Hey baby girl," a voice said from behind the curtain blocking Mrs. Peterson from my view. Shaking took over my body and I pressed a hand to my chest.

"Daddy lift me higher!" A little girl's voice cried. Sagging with relief I caught my breath before pasting a smile back on.

"Hello Mrs. Peterson," I called out in a sing song voice.

"Come in my favorite nurse!" She answered in a pleasant tone.

Pushing back the curtain to reveal her as discreetly as possible I scanned her small room to find the source of my mini heart attack. It was one of her sons come to visit with her.

He was currently holding his daughter up in the air above his head. Her little legs kicked excitedly and her laughter filled the room. She must have been around 3 years old. The sight reminded me of my own father. He may have died a long time ago but I still missed him and thought about him everyday.

"You must be the wonderful nurse my mother has told me about," he said.

"Oh I don't know about wonderful but I have been working with your mother and she is a joy to be around!" I honestly told him.

"I agree with you there. My name is Isaac," he said with a warm smile. He offered me his hand to shake as he spoke.

Hesitantly I placed my hand in his for a quick shake then dropped my hand back to my side.

"I'm Jasmine. It's nice to meet you. I'm just here to check your mother's vitals and see how she's doing this morning."

"I'm just fine Jasmine. How are you?" She beamed up at me.