Episode 44 - Rabid Nurses
Midge tried to get in to see Nan. She tried the bullying tactic of producing her badge and the charge nurse waved her off.
‘Come back when you’re on duty,’ she grunted as she scribbled on a clip board. Midge glared at her.
‘Have you no respect for the law?’ she eventually yelled at the nurse.
‘Not unless you're Ally McBeal,’ the charge nurse snarled and gave Midge a “don’t fuck with me, I’ve had a long day” stare.
Midge backed off as if she was confronted by a pit bull. She knew nurses could get nasty when they wanted to and this one was a veteran.
Chloe piped up and asked the duty nurse if she could have a look at the invisible bruises on her wrists. The nurse slammed her clipboard down on the counter and told her to wait her turn.
Midge told Chloe to follow her and get in the god damn car if she wanted a lift home. They skulked away from the icy stare of the nurse.
~*~*~
Sara followed Paulie to Jez’s apartment. She didn't feel like being alone. Jez was really withdrawn and Paulie was still in a state of hysteria, but had fortunately put some pants on.
Jez offered them both a beer. Paulie asked if she had champagne or vodka and she gave him a dirty look. He said a beer would be fine. After the second he decided it was time to go in seach of a better beverage. Sara was left with Jez. She didn’t want to go home so she stuck around and let Jez ply her with alcohol.
Sara wasn't much of a beer drinker either but she needed these, and more imortantly, the company. As horrific as the day had been, Sara realised that the drama had somehow brought her closer to the others. She no longer felt like an outsider.
~*~*~
Nan was put into intensive care for the night. Her abdomen was stitched and sterilised. It was the least of her problems. Her hip was broken and she had a long road to recovery. The doctor commented that she was extremely fit for her age and that would help the healing process. At the least, she would be flat on her back for a few weeks and required 24 hour care. After that she would need the assistance of a walking frame and intensive physiotherapy before she was going to be independent again...if at all.
Nan had done her hip a few years earlier and she secretly dreaded the old lady syndrome but refused to let it beat her. She had seen many of her friends whither away and seemingly give up after a bad hip break. She was determined not to end up like that.
Nan had no intentions of staying in hospital for any longer than she had to and she considered her options. Gordon, her only child, was too busy to bother with her. She thought of getting Jules to help her out and quickly threw off the notion. Nan loved her but Jules was completely unreliable. The thought of Jules bathing her made her shudder. Nan didn’t think that she was responsible enough to wash a dog let alone a human being.
The perfect solution was laying in wait in the back of her mind but she refused to entertain the thought. She would consider all options before looking into it.
Her perfect solution would be her last resort.
to be continued... |
