Learning to Trust

Chapter 5 - What Can I Do?

Chapter 5 - What Can I Do?

One of the Nurses

"Shh. It's okay dear. Calm down, you're okay now." Another nurse coos to her as they get her finally transferred over to a real bed instead of the gurney.

Trembling uncontrollably, the girl lets out a screaming cry of pain that makes the hair on my arms go on end and my heart shatter. I don't really know what we can do to make her comfortable... I mean, I don't think anything could make her better right now.

One of our female doctors bursts into the room holding a very packed clipboard and looking very stressed.

"Okay. Everyone out; except you." She says and points to me. "I'm going to need you. The rest of you are very appreciated, but we need minimal people on this huge project because of confidential stuff and much more complications."

The rest of the nurses hurry out of the room and it's just me, the girl and the doctor left. She's one of our newer doctors here and I just cannot remember her name.

"Come over here for a second, please." She asks waving me away from the girl but keeping an eye on her every second.

"Okay, so let me give you this information quick. First off, keep an eye on her at all times. Make sure she doesn't try and take the knife out of her leg, or try and get out of the bed, etc. Besides that, try and make her feel comfortable, but that'll be hard. Try and show her she's safe, that you aren't an enemy out to hurt her. Try and maybe clean her arms and face a little with a soapy towel, but avoid the cut down her jawline. We have to do blood work and many tests to see if she's okay for medications because who knows what they put in her body at that building. She's in the worst condition out of all of them, and she freaks out around people, probably having new developed trust issues from all of this, so we are keeping staff on her at minimal. She isn't talking, and we aren't to sure on her vision accuracy at the moment, so try and make no sudden movements or be too loud. We'll take her into surgery as soon as we get blood work results that are okay. Oh, and don't give her any food. I know that sounds cruel, but she'll be going into surgery so that just wouldn't be good. I'm going to leave for a minute and come back with stuff for blood work but just talk to her and watch her. Okay?"

"Okay." I say very overwhelmed.

"Her name is Beatrice Prior, but I've heard she goes by Tris." She hands me the clipboard. "Look through this sometime if you'd like, just keep it in the room."

I nod and she leaves. I turn and walk back to Beatrice.

"Hello. I'm Julie. I'm going to be your nurse. I've been told your name is Beatrice, but you prefer Tris, is that correct?"

She doesn't answer like I expected by what the doctor told me.

I really don't know what to do. It's easier to make patients comfortable when there can be conversation, but this is different. I don't want to scare her, but I don't want her to feel neglected.

"Would you let me clean you up a little bit? I'll be gentle, I promise. You'll probably feel so much better afterwards you know."

She moves, turning her head slightly in my direction. She opens her clenched eyes a sliver and I see her bloodshot, blue looking eyes. I saw in the papers on the file that she has blue-grey eyes, but they look even more blue with her eyes being so red.

I calmly make my way over to the small bathroom that branches off of the room and grab a washcloth, wetting it in the bathroom sink with warm water and a little soap, then returning to her bedside with a small container of water as well. I silently pray that she will let me clean her up a little and that she won't freak out.

I take her hand in my hand, but quickly she tenses up and sucks in a breath, clearly in severe pain. She clutches my hand for a minute, but then calms and loosens her grip. I take the washcloth and put it on the back of her hand, but surprisingly, she reacts almost in relief. She lets out a shaky breath as I gently rub the washcloth around her hand and up her arm, dipping it in the water occasionally. I go to the other side of her and do the same to her other arm and I can see her physically relax as I go and get fresh water, dumping the now dark red water down the drain and going back to her.

As I set the container down I hear a little tap on the door. Beatrice tenses and trembles again compared to when she had began to calm down.

The doctor enters the room and quietly shuts the door. She looks to me and I walk over to her.

"How's it going?" She asks.

"She was calming down as I cleaned her arms up a little with a washcloth, but the tap on the door freaked her out."

"Okay." She says and starts to walk over to Beatrice.

"Hello, Tris. I'm Dr. Scott. I'll be taking care of you for a little while, okay?"

She doesn't answer.

"We have to get this blood work done and in the lab fast so I'll get this done, then the rest. Another nurse said she'd meet me down here to bring it down so you can stay here." Dr. Scott says.

She calmly turns and gets the plastic band and then turns around and takes Beatrice's hand. Beatrice tenses under her touch, but then calms until she puts the band on her arm.

She instantly starts to shake terribly, cries came from her mouth and she clenched her eyes tightly.

"Shh, Tris. It's okay. You're okay. Everything is fine, we are just going to see what we can do to help you. You're okay." Dr. Scott coos.

She doesn't stop shaking much, but Dr. Scott knows that this blood has to be done, and now. She begins to feel around for a vein in Beatrice's arm and holds her finger on one when she's found it. She turns and grabs the needle and tube and looks up at me, clearly having the same thoughts as me.

Without warning her, Dr. Scott takes the needle and puts it in Beatrice's arm and she freaks. She starts screaming and trembling uncontrollably, but luckily doesn't flail her arms around.

Vile after vile of blood later and finally she takes the needle out of her arm and puts a band aid over her arm. Quickly she counts all of the viles, then goes and hands them to a nurse out the door.

It is just so weird how a person who is literally bleeding out can still give at least two dozen viles from a vein in their arm.

She trembles and cries in pain and fear but I just don't know what to do.

That's the problem.

Just what can I do?