Gable brought a duffel bag to the hospital.
There is a T-shirt, three pairs of underwear, and some hiking socks.
He has brought me only one pair of sweatpants.
I have no idea how long I’m gonna be here.
This is not going to work.
I even listed where in the house I could find each item.
We have been living in the same house since 2013.
After scouring this bag’s bleakness, I set out on a mission. Though I am alone, the head nurse said I can go out to the courtyard and get some sun. I walked to the elevators and made eye contact with one of the other nurses. Uh oh.
She’s by my side in minutes.
“You cannot leave the unit alone.”
“But Prudence said…!”
Just like that, head nurse Prudence strides down the hall.
“She’s good, it’s okay! Let her take her walk! She doesn’t have surgery until tomorrow!”
The other nurse shrugs away, and the entitlement is ELECTRIFYING.
I throw my shoulders to the air and stride in my hospital gown.
The security guard glances sideways, and I nod, “It’s okay!” I assure him,
“I’ve been given clearance from Kahn 5 to enter the courtyard!”
Who the hell do I think I am?
Who the hell does HE think I am?
“I’m coming with her!” He yells jokingly and pretends to run from the stand
“Come while the sun is out!” I shout and then dart out the doors. There is another security guard outside, and I’m not trying to push my luck here, so I take the nearest bench in the sunlight I can find.
I let my cheeks lap up the waves of sunlight before I let Gable’s duffel bag realization come back to me.
Okay. Door Dash. Let’s go.
I pull out my phone and look up my options.
What do I need?
Sweatpants
Non-irritating face wipes
Slides (I currently only have my Doc Martens since it was raining when I got to the ER)
Some kind of cardigan to hide the IVs?
DEAR GOD, SELTZER WATER
A man named Jose
Texts me from inside Target to let me know the pants I wanted in the size I asked for aren’t there
I text him on the app-
“Jose, I’m at Morristown Hospital awaiting neurosurgery. Please just get me the comfiest long pants you can find.”
Jose picks up my order and brings my desert island treasures down Route 10. He walks into the main entrance and I could kiss him if I wasn’t so terrifying.
The security guard raises a brow in approval
“LOOK AT YOU!” He gasps.
“MY HAUL!” I raise my bag over my head only to realize a loose IV is dangling off my arm. Gross. So close.
He pounds my raised fist and then winces at the IV.
I return my bag to the room and use my car keys to remove all the plastic.
I go to the ice pebble machine, fill a canister, pour a Spindrift Nojito, and gobble up the tiny parcel of pride from this score.
On the eve of Surgery, I am the lady of Kahn 5, adorned in blue light glasses and pajama pants, slipping in and out of my slides to take my own dining tray back to the kitchen.
TAKE THAT GRIM REAPER.
Kathlyn Ramsey Moore 