The next morning, Marisa got to work early to make up for the time she took off last night. When she walked into her office, she spotted the charts for the day as well as the charts from yesterday all filled out. All they needed was her signature of approval.
“Looks like Chelsea was able to take care of everything. Sure am glad I have her around to give me an extra hand when I need it.” After taking care of the patients she had scheduled for the morning, she went to check on Mrs. Sampson. As she walked down the hall, she spotted one of the hospital’s nurses pushing the pill cart. To her surprise, it was her friend Lindsey. Lindsey was actually Maggie’s brother’s wife.
“Hey, Lindsey. I didn’t know you were working today.”
“Hey, Marisa. I switched shifts with Chelsea because we’re having a family reunion this weekend and I wanted to get as much work done as possible to help get everything ready.”
“Oh I see. Well, no need to worry. Take as much time as you need. You’ve always been great at keeping up with your hours.”
“Thanks, than again, that’s easy to do when I have a very understanding boss like you. Everyone in this hospital is fortunate to have you as the Chief of Staff.” Marisa blushed.
“Well, I don’t really know about that. After all, the welfare of our patients is our first priority. As long as they’re healthy and happy, that’s what really matters.”
“Spoken like a true doctor who always knows what’s best for her patients.” Marisa just smiled.
“By the way, did you stop by Mrs. Sampson’s room to give her her medications?”
“Sure did, but she was sleeping when I got there. So I just left them by her bedside for when she wakes up.” Marisa formed a surprise look.
“Sleeping? Did she not sleep well last night?”
“Yes she did. She just got a surprise phone call from her son and stayed up late talking to him.”
“Oh, that’s understandable. Her son sure is a mysterious man. He sends her cards and flowers all the time and calls her every few days, but he never comes to visit her. What’s that all about?”
“Don’t know. Maybe he just doesn’t do well in hospitals. There are some people like that.”
“I guess that’s an option. But I have a feeling that’s not the case.” Marisa tried to think of what the real reason could possibly be.
“Oh well, at least he’s being considerate with cards, flowers, and phone calls. That’s better than nothing.” Lindsey pointed out.
“Yeah, I guess that’s true.” With that being said, Lindsey walked off to finish her rounds. Marisa decided to go ahead and check on Mrs. Sampson. Quietly, she walked into her room. Sure enough, she was fast asleep. Looking at her bedside desk, she spotted her medicine which Lindsey had left for her.
“As long as she takes it before she eats, she should be fine.” She thought to herself. With that, she tiptoed out of the room. As she came around the corner in the hallway, someone accidentally bumped into her knocking her down.
“Ouch!” She cried as she rubbed her leg.
“Oh no! I’m sorry, Dr. Marisa! Are you alright?!” Marisa looked up to see it was Dr. David.
“Oh, Dr. David. Yes, I’m fine. No need to worry.” She assured him as he helped her up.
“I was a little caught up in thought and wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I guess getting lost in your own world is much more dangerous than it appears.” Marisa couldn’t help but laugh.
“No need to worry. I do that myself once in a while. But my friend May May does that all the time.” The two of them laughed.
“So, have you had lunch yet?”
“No, I was just coming back from checking up on one of my patients and haven’t had the time.”
“Oh, in that case, would you care to join me? I was just on my way to the cafeteria.”
“Well, I suppose I should eat something. May May got on to me yesterday about how I tend to have irregular eating patterns.”
“Ha, I know what you mean. Having the job of a doctor, you tend to focus only on the health of your patients but forget to take care of your own well being.”
“That’s for sure.” The two of them continued laughing as they walked towards the cafeteria.
By the time they got there, there were already several other doctors and nurses having their lunch. After getting herself a sandwich and an apple, Marisa sat down next to Dr. David and Lindsey. They were just about to start eating when Dr. John appeared to join them.
“So what’s going on with you guys today?” He asked while munching on a hotdog.
“Well, one of my patients is merely hours away from giving birth to her second child.” Dr. David mentioned. Marisa’s face lit up.
“Really? Is it the one who thought she was going into labor yesterday?”
“Yeah, that’s the one. She suddenly started having a little stomach pain and got all excited, but it turned out to be a mild case of indigestion.” Lindsey started to squeal over her salad.
“Eep, there’s nothing like seeing a little baby being born into this big wide world. It always fills my heart with so much joy and makes me want to squeal.”
“What are you talking about? You always squeal. In fact, one time you squealed so loud you not only scared the mother but made the baby cry.” Marisa teased. Lindsey’s face turned red.
“What?! That was just because it was my first time! Who wouldn’t be totally blown away seeing a newborn for the first time?!” Marisa looked at Dr. John who just shrugged his shoulders.
“I guess you’re right. Still, I have to agree with you. The sight of a newborn baby is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Looking at something so small and fragile; seeing the faces of the family members welcoming their newest member; there’s no comparison to the thrill you feel witnessing it all.” Marisa couldn’t help but smile as she reached for her juice.
“Kind of makes you want to have one of your own, doesn’t it?” Dr. John teased. At first, Marisa didn’t answer. She just seemed to sit there completely still. Everyone looked at her as she held her head down. Looking at her hand, Lindsey realized she was shaking.
“Hey, Marisa, are you okay?” She asked. Marisa quickly snapped back into reality.
“Huh? Oh, sorry guys. I got lost for a minute. What were we talking about?” Dr. John was just about to speak up when Lindsey suddenly kicked his ankle to shut him up.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Never mind.”
“Oh, okay.” While Marisa took a drink, Lindsey snapped at Dr. John.
“You blabbermouth! Can’t you at least try to be a little considerate?!”
“What?! What did I say?!” Dr. John asked while rubbing his leg. Lindsey slapped her hand over her face realizing it was completely pointless to try and explain. With a smile, Marisa finished her juice.
“Ah, that really hit the spot. Well, I’ve still got a few patients to look over for today. I’d better get going. Lindsey, would you please remember to make sure Mrs. Sampson takes her medicine before she eats?”
“Sure thing.” With that, Marisa walked out of the room. With her gone, Dr. John turned his attention back to Lindsey.
“Okay, now what was that all about?”
“You idiot! In case you haven’t figured it out for yourself, that isn’t the kind of question all girls enjoy answering. Whether they want to become a mother or not, it’s not the best subject to talk about. Especially when surrounded by a group of people.”
“Oh, well excuse me. How was I supposed to know?” While Lindsey and Dr. John kept on arguing, Dr. David just sat there thinking to himself.
“Dr. Marisa certainly seems like an interesting person. Yet, she seems to be very troubled by something. I wonder what?”
For the rest of the afternoon, Marisa mostly just kept to herself. For some reason, she couldn’t get Dr. John’s question out of her head.
“Me? A mother? Ha! Like that would ever be possible. For that to happen, I would have to be married. Like that will ever happen.” She said to herself as she tried to just blow it off. Even though she did her best to help her patients, she really seemed to be distracting herself. Starting to get worried, Lindsey stepped up.
“Hey, Marisa, are you okay?”
“Sure, I’m fine. Why?”
“Well, you just seem to be a little...distracted.” Marisa’s face lit up.
“What? That’s silly. What would I be distracted about? I have too many things to do to get---”
“Marisa, watch out!” Lindsey suddenly screamed. Before Marisa realized what was happening, she ran right into a closed door. Jumping back, she dropped her charts and grabbed her nose.
“Ouch!!!”
“Are you okay?!” Lindsey asked while looking at her nose to make sure she wasn’t bleeding. Marisa looked at the door. Now, she was just plain embarrassed.
“Gosh, I’ve never done that before. Maybe I am a little out of it.”
“I know. Why don’t you go take a little walk and get some fresh air? That always helps me when I’m having an off day.” Lindsey suggested.
“Yeah, I think I’ll do that. Thanks.” With that being said, Marisa walked outside to the hospital’s gardens. It was a nice sunny day and there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Marisa took a deep breath as the warm sun beat down on her.
“Man, what’s wrong with me? I’ve been totally out of it since last night. If this keeps up, I’ll go crazy.” For the next 10 minutes, Marisa just walked around the garden circle. After taking several deep breaths to clear her head, she was starting to feel a little better.
“This is so unlike me. I need to get a grip and do my job. As a doctor, it’s my duty to see to the well being of my patients and make sure they get strong and healthy. I can’t afford to get distracted by such silly matters. After all, keeping a clear head is one of the most important things to remember as a doctor. Otherwise I won’t be able to give it my all while helping people.” With that said, Marisa clapped her hands against her cheeks. Now that she was refreshed and energized, she was able to walk back in the building with her head held high.
“Hey, feeling better?” Lindsey asked.
“Much better, thanks again. You were right, Lindsey. I just needed a breath of fresh air.”
“Works every time for me. By the way, your special patient has arrived.” Marisa’s face lit up.
“Really? I didn’t think she’d get here till later.”
“Guess not. She arrived a few minutes ago. Think you’re ready for her?” Lindsey teased as she held up a chart. With a smirk on her face, Marisa grabbed the chart.
“Give me a break. Like I need to make special adjustments.” While Lindsey snickered to herself, Marisa walked towards the examination room. It turned out the special patient was actually her grandmother. With a big smile, Marisa walked into the room.
“Hi, Grandma. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not a problem, honey. I’m sure you’re very busy. After all, I’m not your only patient.”
“No, but you are one of the very special ones.” Her grandmother smiled.
“So, how are you feeling? Have you been able to get some sleep with the board treatment to your bed?”
“Well, I’m still adjusting to it, but I am getting enough sleep to last me through the night.”
“That’s good. Have you been sticking to the special diet I prescribed for you?”
“Yes for the most part. Though every once and a while, I cheat with a cup of coffee.” Marisa rolled her eyes.
“You and mom are the same. You have to have your coffee. Just be sure not to drink more than one cup every few days.”
“Yes, dear.” Marisa looked through her grandma’s chart. A few months ago, her grandmother started having stomach pain. After running a few tests, it was discovered that she had a mild case of acid reflex. Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious and all she really needed to do was make a few adjustments to her diet and take some special vitamins. Her greatest weaknesses were fruit and coffee. So she had to cut back quite a bit on them because of all the sugar and caffeine. Lots of vegetables and a little meat were good choices. As long as she didn’t eat too many strong foods, she would be fine.
“Well, everything looks good. I can tell you’ve been sticking to your diet. Just be sure you don’t push yourself too hard.” Marisa announced as she finished her evaluation.
“You don’t need to worry about me, honey. I’ll be very careful. And if anything happens, I have the best doctor only a call away.” Marisa smiled.
“I just do what I can. After all, the patients well being is a doctor’s top priority.” After promising not to overdo it, Marisa’s grandmother headed home.
Thankfully, Marisa was able to get through the rest of the day without incident. Before she knew it, it was time to head home for the day.
“That about does it for today. See you next week, Lindsey.”
“You too, Marisa. Enjoy your days off.” Walking out to the parking lot, Marisa looked at her watch. It was about half past 5.
“Hmm, I’ve still got some time before dinner. I think I’ll go to the park for a bit.” The town’s park was about a 15 minute drive from the hospital. Marisa had been going there ever since she was a little girl. It was one of her favorite places to relax. When she pulled up, she spotted a few kids running around the playground. It looked like they were playing tag. She also spotted some adults talking together on the nearby picnic tables. Walking over to the benches, Marisa smiled as she watched the children play. As she watched them, memories of when she and Maggie used to play on the same playground began running through her head. She laughed as she recalled some of the crazy games of pretend they used to come up with. It was hard to believe that those days were so long ago.
“I guess what they say is true. Time really does fly by when you least expect it to.” As she sat on the nearby park benches, she spotted a couple who looked like they were about her age. She watched as they walked by holding hands and laughing. At first, Marisa just stared at them. Then, she let out a laugh.
“Sheesh, I’ve heard the saying love is in the air, but this is just crazy. Oh well, guess this is just one of the many things a girl has to learn to live with.” With a smile on her face, Marisa just sat there enjoying the fresh air. Suddenly, one of the children let out a scream.
“Ah! My knee!” Marisa shot up. She realized he had fallen off the monkey bars and hit his knee on a rock when he came down. The boy’s parents rushed to his side to try and stop the bleeding. From where Marisa was standing, she could tell it was going to take a lot more than a couple of tissues to stop the blood. Letting her medical instincts take over, she rushed to her car and grabbed her medical bag. With everything she needed, she rushed to the little boy.
“This is bad! The bleeding just won’t stop!” Stated the father as he pressed tissues against the wound. Trying to calm her child down, the mother held him in her arms.
“I think we need to call a doctor!”
“There will be no need for that.” A voice spoke up. Everyone turned to see Marisa standing there with her medical bag in her hand.
“And you are?”
“Dr. Marisa, at your service.” One of the adults shot up.
“Hey, I’ve heard about you. You’re that genius medical student who became a doctor right after graduating college at a young age.” Marisa smiled.
“I’m not really that amazing, but it’s flattering that you think so highly of me.” Quickly she opened up her bag, put on her gloves, and got to work. First, she cleaned and disinfected the surrounding area with alcohol swabs. Then, she pressed down gently on the cut itself with a ball of cotton coated with special medicine to stop the bleeding. Once the bleeding had stopped, she stitched the wound shut and bandaged it with a special band-aid. With a sigh of relief, she took off her gloves and wiped her head.
“There, that should do it. If you keep his knee bandaged and well cleaned for the next few days, it should heal in no time. If you come to the hospital in a couple of weeks, I’d be happy to remove the stitches. Otherwise, he’s going to be just fine.” Overcome with joy, the mother hugged her child tightly.
“Thank goodness.” With a smile, the father shook her hand.
“Thank you so much. What they say about you is true. You really are an incredible doctor.” Marisa smiled. Just then, her watch started beeping. Looking at it, she realized she had been in the park for an hour now.
“My gosh! How’d it get so late?!” Quickly, she packed up her tools.
“Sorry everyone, I’ve got to run.”
“Thanks again.” Everyone waved bye as Marisa drove off.
Thankfully, the park was only 10 minutes away from home. After parking her car in the garage, Marisa rushed inside.
“I’m home.” She rushed into the living room to find Conner playing his video games.
“Hey, sis. You’re a little late aren’t you?”
“Yeah, I know. Had a small emergency, but it’s all good now. Where are mom and dad?”
“Dad’s not home yet and I think mom’s upstairs. Ah! No not that way! Where’d you come from?! Take that you banana brain!” Conner suddenly got caught up in his game. Marisa looked on the couch and spotted the case. Walking over, she picked it up.
“Monkey Escapade? Haven’t you won this game like 20 times?”
“No way! That was Monkey Escapade 1. This is Monkey Escapade 2. Whoa! Oh no you don’t! You’re mine!”
“I was wondering what all the noise was about.” A voice came up. Marisa looked to see her dad behind her.
“Hey dad. You just get home?”
“No, I’ve been home. Your brother just hasn’t seemed to notice.” Marisa rolled her eyes.
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.” Just then, Marisa’s mother came downstairs carrying a basket of clothes.
“Oh, welcome home, dear. Did you have a good day?”
“Yeah, for the most part. I saw Grandma today.”
“Did you? How is she?”
“Everything looked good. She said she’s still getting used to the bed propping idea, but other than that she’s just fine.”
“That’s wonderful. Has she been eating right?”
“She did mention that she’s been sneaking in a cup of coffee every once and a while. I told her not to do that too much. But as far as food goes, she’s doing pretty good.”
“That’s good to hear. Going on a new diet can be very frustrating. Speaking of which, care to help me in the kitchen?”
“Sure thing, mom.” Within the hour, everyone was sitting at the kitchen table having a nice family dinner. As she ate, Marisa told them about the boy from the park.
“After that, I told his parents to keep his wound bandaged for a few days and to come to the hospital in a couple of weeks so I could take out the stitches. Then, I said my goodbyes and came home.”
“That’s a wonderful story, dear.”
“It seems you’re able to help people even outside the hospital.” Her dad mentioned. Marisa smiled.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Something wrong?”
“No, it’s just I always go on about how I view the patients well being over all else. Yet at the same time, whenever I’m showered with praise and thanks for helping them, I feel so...happy. Like I was truly able to make a difference and help them. It makes me feel like I’m able to do something truly great and make people happy at the same time. It’s a feeling I hope I will always be able to cherish.” Marisa’s parents smiled.
“Of course you feel that way. Not very many people your age dedicate themselves to being able to truly make a difference in people’s lives. And you do it of your own free will and not because someone forces you to do it. And we’re both very proud of you for that.” Marisa smiled.
“Thanks Dad.”