What a difference two days can make. When I woke up the day before yesterday, I was lying in a hospital bed with more cables attached to me than a substation feeding New York City. At least that's the way it seemed.
I really don't remember how I got there, but they tell me that I was rushed to the hospital after passing out at the mall.
Here I am two days later and all of the monitoring equipment has been removed and I in a private room waiting to hear if I'm being released.
The good news is that all the blood work, heart assessment and routine tests have returned normal. Anxiety attack, that's what they're telling me. That's pretty easy to understand. As a salesman who hasn't seen any improvement in the local market, the everyday pressures of "making that sale" must have finally taken their toll. This economy stinks, no denying it.
Being in the hospital is new to me, as I have been relatively healthy for nearly 56 years. I don't know what I would have done in this situation had it not been for the wonderful, caring attention that I received from the medical staff here at the hospital.
In particular, I have to tell you about Kim, a very special nurse who has made my stay more than tolerable, I would have to say.......enjoyable.
When I first awoke, she was standing beside my bed jotting down notes and checking all my vital numbers on the monitoring equipment. She sensed my horror as I looked around at all the wires and equipment wondering "what the hell is going on?"
She stopped her writing, took my hand in hers and softly said "You are in the hospital because you had a spell of some sort and passed out. You are going to be okay. Your wife is here, she has been all day."
I looked to the other side of the room, immediately relieved to see my wife standing there moving toward the bed. "Hi, sunshine." She said. I smiled and said "Hi."
Even though I was now talking to my wife I couldn't help realizing that Kim was still holding my hand and gently squeezing it in the most reassuring way.
She must have decided that I seemed good enough to leave alone for a while as she patted the top of my hand and said "I'll leave you two alone to catch up and chat for a while."
As she turned to leave my room, I watched as she walked out the door. Nice nurse's dress, white, crisp and clinging so nicely to every voluptuous curve. Shear white stockings....H-m-m-m, I was feeling better already.
The next hour or so was spent learning about what happened, where it happened, and all the efforts made to get me "under control", so to speak. It was obvious that my wife was exhausted from being with me from the time I arrived until now. I told her that I was feeling fine and that she should go home for a while and get some much needed sleep. No argument there, she gathered up her belongings, kissed me goodnight and walked to the doorway turning into the hall. Nice jeans, snug and clinging to every voluptuous curve.....H-m-m-m, I really was feeling better already.
You know how they say you can get your days and nights mixed up when you've been "out of it" for a while? That's where I was. It was nearly 1:30 in the morning and I was wide awake fidgeting from being bored.
I noticed a friendly face walking down the hall. "Hey!" I called out the door. Kim stopped, turned around and stuck here head in the door. "You need something hun?"
"Not really, but I wanted to ask you a question"
"What's that?"
"How far would you have been if I wouldn't have called you?"
She stood there, thought for a moment, smiled and said "Aren't we the funny one!"
"I'll be back in a few minutes to check your stats. But first I have to go put my stethoscope into the freezer so it will feel good on your chest." She smiled almost giggling out loud as she turned to walk away. Damn she looked good in her nurse's dress.
I hoped she wouldn't take to long to come back. It would be nice to have someone to talk to for a little while this late at night.
It must have been maybe ten minutes before she reappeared at my doorway. She walked to my bedside and said "Okay Mr. funny guy, let's check you out"
"O good, does that mean I'll have to take my clothes off?"
"No, it doesn't, besides you seem to eager." She said trying to hold back her grin.
"I was just thinking maybe you'd make an old guy's day."
"If checking your blood pressure and temperature along with checking your pulse makes your day, you've got it made." She answered.
By now, I was bit taken with this young nurse that had a killer smile, captivating blue eyes and dark copper red hair that was pulled up in the back and held there by a large hair clip. I could tell that if she were to let it down it would probably drop to the middle of her back and be full of curls. Being an older guy, I now just look at these sweet young girls and think, "Jeez, if only I were just a few years younger."
Well, she'd been kidding, the stethoscope wasn't cold as she reached in under my hospital gown to listen to my heart. Now..... why in the world having someone listen to your heart would cause a stirring in your loins is beyond me. But, there it was a cute little tent starting to take shape in the bed sheet.
Not wanting to call any attention to my dilemma, I said "every thing sound okay?"
"Sounds just fine" Kim answered.
I decided to change the subject and maybe get my mind on something else.
"So, how long have you been a nurse?"
"A little over twelve years."
"That means you must have started when you were 15?"
"Oh aren't you the charmer? I'm 36, but thanks for the compliment. It was supposed to be a compliment right?'
"Of course! I really wouldn't have figured you for 36. I thought you were probably in your mid twenties at the oldest. That seems to be my problem any more. Even older women seem young to me, not that 36 is older..... you know what I mean."
Kim giggled out loud and said "You shouldn't talk about yourself as if you are old. You actually look in great shape for.......how old are you?" Now she was chuckling.
"You know how old I am, you have my chart. Do the math, I'm almost twenty years older than you."
"Fifty five is not old, besides, I sorta think you're cute for your age"