Rachel raced through the hospital trying to find Ward 17. She rushed up to a nurse's station breathless and asked for Gladys Morgan. The nurse directed her down the corridor to room 307. Rachel paused at the ice-blue door a moment to catch her breath and set her thoughts in order. She eased open the door and snuck in as quietly as she could. The doctor was in there with Gladys. He saw Rachel and came over to her.
"Are you Mrs Chambers?" He said accusingly.
"Yes Doctor I am. How is she? What happened?" Rachel asked with an alarmed tone.
The doctor placed his index finger to his lips and gestured for them to go out into the corridor.
He spoke in a monotone voice; not really looking Rachel in the eye with his hands clasped in front of him the whole time. She would not have been surprised if he had pulled out flash cards, it sounded that rehearsed and about that sincere. "Mrs Morgan suffered a severe heart attack, she was able to alert her neighbours who rang an ambulance. She is lucky to be alive. Surgery won't be necessary at this time but she will need complete rest for many months. She will be unable to make a full recovery, unfortunately her age is a serious hindrance. She has regained consciousness but is still very groggy. She hasn't got long I'm afraid".
Rachel stared at the doctor with a disgusted look on her face. She knew he had to deal with this sort of thing every day but his tone and demeanour was so detached, so uncaring, and so clinical. She felt like punching him just to get some sort of reaction out of him. However she pulled herself together and asked in as calm a voice as she could summons what could be done for Gladys.
"If I were you Mrs Chambers, I would contact her family about finding suitable accommodation. The hospital has a list of all the nursing homes in the state." He said this as if it were the only option available. If harassment laws weren't so out of control in this country she would have slapped him. She had never been so angry before, she wanted to throttle something.
"No Doctor" She declared through gritted teeth "I am afraid that will not be necessary. I want to know what I can do to take care of her at home, at my home." She looked at him and dared him to argue with her.
He examined her for a moment and stated that he thought a nursing home would be the best option, but she was welcome to discuss the matter with Mrs Morgan and they could make their own arrangements. The hospital would provide guidance as to the best ways to make her more comfortable. With that he nodded at Rachel and headed off down the corridor.
Pompous old fool was all Rachel could think. She made her way into the room and saw Gladys. Rachel suddenly couldn't move. She breathed in and out slowly putting her hand over her mouth. Gladys looked so small. Lying in the cold metal bed, with the stiff sheets pulled up under her arms and the rock hard hospital pillow under her head. Her hair was all tussled, she was pale and clammy looking. She had wires connecting her to all sorts of machines. The machines beeped and buzzed around her. She was alone in this room. It was so gloomy in here. Rachel hated it. She sat in the chair that was beside the bed and took Gladys hand. She stared at the old hands for a moment. Saw all the lines, the spots and the beautiful wrinkles. Gladys hands were so soft. What a life these hands have seen she thought. What have they touched? What have they felt? Rachel didn't want it to end, not here. It wasn't right for her to go like this, it wasn't right for her to go at all. Rachel finally let the emotion catch up to her and she gave way to the tears that had been building since she answered the phone. She didn't know what to do with herself, so she just laid her head on Gladys hand and sobbed as quietly as she could.
Gladys woke to find Rachel sleeping on her hand. She moved her hand away and Rachel awoke suddenly asking what was wrong. Gladys could only speak slowly, but said everything was fine. Gladys looked at Rachel and announced breathlessly but firmly that she didn't want to stay here. She wanted to go to Rachel's. Her eyes were pleading and Rachel could not mistake the tone in her voice. Rachel kissed Gladys hand with tears in her eyes, squeezed it gently and went off to organise for Gladys to be discharged. Gladys laid back in her bed and looked to the ceiling. She closed her eyes and breathed out slowly and told her husband she would be with him soon.
