Back To Health

Lesson 4 : Put a Patients' Needs in front of Your Own

We get inside and Michael puts his umbrella inside the container beside the door. "I smell spinach pizza.." Michael says taking off his jacket and he folds it over the arm chair. "I'll go make that tea.." I go into the kitchen area and start putting water into the tea pot. "Second cabinet on the right.." He calls from the dining area and comes in, the spinach pizza on the counter prepared. He takes a piece and eats it standing. "I was about to bring you a piece Michael."

I say putting in the tea bags.

"It's fine Lynn...say is that short for something.. Like Lynnette maybe.."

I nod my head the water beginning to boil,  "You got it.."He chews and nods.

"How do you prefer your tea?" I ask turning my head.

"Stout please.. No sugar.."

I nod and the tea kettle begins to screech. I take down a cup and saucer from the china cabinet. Pouring a cup and bringing it to him. He leaned over the counter propped up on an elbow. "I'm gonna run and grab your anemia medication I'll be back.." He nods sipping tea. I go grab the two bottles, getting one pill out for each. I jog back down the steps and put them in the paper cup I kept in my scrubs. I return to the kitchen and Michael still stands gnawing on pizza. "Here is your Myferon and Novaferrum.." He nods and sets down his tea, "Thank you Lynn.."

I was always instructed to watch patients take medication for the reason of them hiding it under their tongue but I got a strong feeling that Michael didn't care a bit to take medicine. He popped the two pills in his mouth and took a swig of tea. Their tongue usually protruding if they hide the pills, I turn and move the tea from the hot oven eye. Turning off the stove. "I once met a woman who was called Lynnette.."

He says soft and goes back into the dining room. I follow him needing to hang up the jacket he layed across the arm chair, "Is that so?" I ask and he sat down at the table nodding.

"She was an artist I met in the eighties...a lovely girl. The eighties were my favorite."

I hang the jacket on a coat rack to the side of the glass doors, "I went to one of your concerts in the eighties ...I was just a little girl.."

He looks over from his tea cup, "Really?" I nod and smile coming and sitting next to him.

"I was ten and I went to your concert where you performed in Atlanta...1988 I believe.."

I say thinking and rambling, "Oh the Bad tour...I was so wore out back then. It was concert after concert. The time zones were all different, you went on stage sometimes about to pass out being so sleepy."

I nod listening to him speak, Michaels voice was so gentle that I could listen to it for hours on end. He leaned back in the chair folding his arms.

He closed his eyes and pursed his lips. I take his empty tea cup to the sink rinsing and washing it before placing it back in the cabinet. I go back and still see Michael sitting at the dining table head back and eyes closed. "Lynn?" He asks me with one eye open.

"Yes Michael. " I say in response.

"Would it be rude if I asked you to take me to my room to rest? I feel very sleepy.."

I shake my head, "Of course not let's go." I take his arm as he stands up and he leads me upstairs. "That pizza was nice. You should try it.." He says walking along

"I always eat before a shift. I'm okay, but thank you."

We get into his room and he lays down in bed. He unbuttons his jacket, and I take it ,hanging it on a coat hanger. He sits up in bed and pulls the blankets to his waist.

"This is strange of me to ask being a man but do you have ponytail holder?" He looks down embarrassed.

I smile and go to my hair. "You can take mine. It's alright.." I take down the elastic from my hair then hand it to him, "Thank you. You look better with your hair down. Brunettes are beautiful." He says as he twists his hair back, putting it in a low pony. He lays back and I fasten my hair up with the ink pen from my pocket. "Do you need anything to fall asleep, water or anything like that?" I ask

"...can you turn my TV on. I like the noise.."

I nod and grab the remote from his stand. I turn it on, Ellen DeGeneres being on. Michael smiles and sit down in a chair next to the bed.

Michael leans his head back into the pallet of pillows. "You'll stay here with me won't you Lynn?" He asks soft almost vulnerable.

I nod, "Yes Michael. Of course."

He looks back to the TV and his eyes close. His breathing started to steady from the way his chest rose and sank. Eventually I looked over seeing he was fast asleep. I smile looking over glad that he's resting. Knowing how much he truly deserved it.