It takes a village

To take care of Chuck after surgery

I sit here in room 16 on the 3rd floor of Mount Carmel East hospital marveling at the procession of people that have come in and out of the hospital room as Chuck recovers from a 5 hour surgery yesterday.

He is in a great deal of pain in his shoulder because of the "air" that swells his body.  His eye is puffy, his skin feels like there are rice crispies underneath. The excruciating shoulder pain comes and goes stabbing him. It is hard to watch him suffer.

Bobby Jo, his blond, buxom, cheerful nurse, has given him pain meds, an icy patch and hot towels. She is trying. At the same time she cajoles him into a walk down the hall. She gets him into his silk pajamas and she tells him he looks like Hugh Hefner.  As he walks he talks to her  about riding motorcycles back in the day and breaking his arm. She laughs and asks him what kind of motorcycle.  I walk beside him holding his hand and hoping he won't fall.

Back in the room the social worker comes and asks where we live and he goes on and on about how much he loves our home - especially the front porch and the fireplace.  Then a member of the "leadership team" an attractive young woman with a good haircut and tight pants comes and asks about how our stay is coming.  While it is true that there has often been a wait between pressing the button for the nurse and her arrival, I feel so appreciative of Bobbie Jos care that I don't want to mention it.

Then there is the woman who checks his vitals and then the two women from the urologists office.  Also we see  another woman who quickly comes to clean and empty wastebaskets.

For each of these chuck interacts with humor and stories after I have told them that he is hard of hearing. And everyone smiles and laughs with him. They call him ornery or a character or fun.

And I am watching and appreciating all of it.