Linda is my nurse this morning
And for the first time
It’s a really good morning
I slept in until 9:30 with some minor interruptions
Gable says he’s on his way
Just as a springy PT nurse comes in to evaluate my wrist strength
She says, “Do you want to take a walk?”
I say, “Do you want to take the stairs?”
We walk down the stairs,
And I go up one flight just to show off
She smiles and tells me to come back down
Put a price tag on my ass
Look how well I’ve survived the odds!
I’m using sentences and taking strides
A HUMAN ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF A RUDE CEREBELLUM
And get me out of this place
I’m good to go!
By the time I stride back
One of my other favorite nurses is in the hallway
I find her and tell her to come to my room when she’s done with my neighbor
My neighbor
He’s had a rough night
He keeps screaming for the nurses
He never uses the call button
“HEY NURSE?” He tells
“STOP TOUCHING MY HAIR”
“DON’T TOUCH MY FUCKING HAIR”
Not one person has touched his hair at any point.
He has a bacterial infection in his blood.
He refuses to take his medicine or eat anything.
Iona has been fighting with him all morning.
She comes into my room, and I hold out my hand. She tells me she will pray for me, and I will pray for her.
I will love her forever.
I will never forget her.
Just as the neighbor screams for her, I spy a man peering into my room.
He looks lost
And I am bored
So I ushered him in regardless
It turns out he is the chaplain
Kathlyn Ramsey Moore 