when a family member asks for a toothbrush,
he/she really needs two
offer water/juice to visitors sitting, unmoving
waiting for a loved one to come out of surgery
they have forgotten thirst
the hands of the clock are fixed
show kindness to those who are demanding
they have been too anxious to eat or sleep much
trying to hold everything together on the surface, when inside breaking
tucking anxiety away behind tired eyes, clipped voice
"sleep chair" is a misnomer
be efficient, follow through-
it seems like everything is taking too long because you have been waiting for labs, for authorization, for doctors, for medications, for test results, waiting for the pain and nausea to subside, waiting for this to all be over
I know that you need me to repeat things, because the diagnosis is still so new, numbing
you retreat, a protective measure, and I call you back
goal of all this- to get you home, the haven that a hospital could never be
