Journal to a Muse

What you might see in a hospital at 3:30 am

I offered to be at T's beck and call in the hospital last night. The surgeon had warned her there would be lots of pain, and she felt every bit of it, even with a button to pump pain meds. She was only half awake most of the time. But she would wake up and talk just the same. She told me I'd won a contest, and that I deserved it. She also told me about riding an elephant. She'd grimace when moved, but there was no whining. She kept her spirits up. She kept me hoping askomg for blankets to be put on or removed, and for spoonfuls of water or ice. She hasn't eaten solid food in 18 days. I can't imagine....

Fortunately, she wanted the lights on. I read half of a book, knit, and sketched. The tower of drips and medications is fully computerized, color coded and electronic. Each bag of fluid had a computer screen that kept track of flow rate, amount, and heaven knows what. I was pretty bored when all I had to draw was my feet.