At 5:30 on this Friday morning, I give up. I have spent the night with the nicest people, but they just won’t leave me alone, deciding at all hours to continue coming into my room to talk and indulge in other activities. Oh, they’re nice about it–no problem there–and when they awake me, it’s with a gentle voice. “Shirley, Shirley, are you awake?”
Around 10:00 pm, one of them shot my belly with a sharp needle. At 11:30, they did an EKG. Waiting until the EKG people were finished was a sweet girl from the lab, who sucked out more of my blood, followed by a young man pulling a machine that snapped up a recording of my blood pressure. He stuck a thermometer in my mouth, quickly removed it and said, as though quite pleased with himself, “Ninety-seven point eight.”
I was sleepy, so I settled into my bed and had drifted into a sweet sleep when I heard the pleasant voice of my nurse, Mandy…”Shirley.”
“Yes.”
“I have pills for you.” I sat straight up in bed, smiled and said okay. The clock on the wall before me said 12:30. Mandy brought three pills, explained what they were, then handed me a white styrofoam cup. “Potassium. Your potassium is slightly low.” She smiled as she handed me the cup. “Afraid it doesn’t taste too good. I’ve mixed it with apple juice.”
She was dead-right about the taste, but as she stood by my bed and watched, I drank down the concoction and handed her the empty cup. “I’ll be back with another dose in two hours.” Sweetly she said the words, and she smiled as she took the cup.
I couldn’t help myself. I looked again at the clock and did a quick calculation. 2:30. 2:30 am. It would be 2:30 on a Friday morning when I again would have the privilege to drink down potassium laced apple juice. She smiled, did sweet Mandy. “Anything else I can do for you?” No, I said, smiling back. I’m fine.
Sound asleep I was, when Mandy’s kind voice said, “Shirley, I have your potassium.” Sure enough at 2:30 this morning, into my already nauseated little tummy from a white styrofoam cup, I ingested a potassium/applejuice cocktail. I could hardly get it down, but Mandy was standing sweetly by, so how could I refuse her. (They’re smart here–that standing by business–for truth be told, had I been left on my own, I just might have shared that fine cocktail with the white porcelain sink that sits in a corner near my bed.)
At 4:30, I was visited by the NA with the thermometer and the blood pressure machine. “Any pain?” he asked. I muttered in the negative. He sounded out the temp: “Ninety-eight point 1.”
Into my guest room at 5:20 came the sweet young lady, who I had learned last night is from Memphis, Tenn., and who now operates one of the EKG machines here in Lake Havasu. A kind smile accompanied her soft brown face as she turned up the room lights and nicely inquired; “Did you sleep well?”
“Uh, yes, I slept well.” I paused for effect, then added. “In between visitors.” She smiled and went about the business of decorating me with sticky patches to which she fastened a bunch of different colored wires.
5:30 “I’m here from the lab. Doctor wants me to draw some blood.”
“Okay. What’s it for?”
“Heart enzymes,” she said as she dinked around with my left arm. “Little stick here.”
….so I give up. It’s now daylight. The night is far spent.
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Now, don’t anybody worry about me. I had this lingering peculiar sensation in my chest yesterday, along with some nausea, and after calling my doctor’s office in California for an appointment, the nurse said go to the nearest emergency room. So they popped me in here for a 24 hour observation. Everything seems fine, a heart attack has been ruled out, the cardiologist told me last evening, he doesn’t think it is my heart at all, but I’m having a stress test this morning, then I’ll probably be released. I’m fine, but I do appreciate your prayers.
17 replies on “House Guest; Night Visitors”
Glad you took this in good humor. You are in my prayers.
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Just visited your site and I hope by now you are home and feeling well. Good time to slow down and take some much deserved and earned rest. Praying for you always. Love-Nita
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Thinking and praying for you. Hope all is well.
Love You!
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I know exactly what you are talking about; I just had my precious baby Joel and all throughout the night I had these very nice “Night Visitors”. I paused to pray as I read about your hospital stay. I just started reading your blog and I love it! I’m an aspiring writer and it’s such an encouragement to find someone in my Church (UPCI) that writes so well. I prayed “Lord, I just met her, I feel there is so much more for me to learn from this precious lady”. looking forward to read about your discharge, keep us the wonderful good work!
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I pray all is well.
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Aww, Sis. Buxton! I hope you are feeling better! I just prayed for you. Love you!
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Praying for you and waiting to hear “good Results” back from all they put you through. I used to be one of those “night” visitors…you are being very kind!
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Shirley,
I hope and pray everything is ok. Take care of your self and get well.
Love,
Jr.
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Sounds like you are a new mother with the lack of sleep. And of course, the new father was right by your side. Glad all is well.
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Enjoyed your humorous story of your night–it is exactly the way it goes, in most all hospitals too. So glad your ok–praying all your tests are good. Love & Appreciate you!!
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Believing all is well. Remember, those visitors sleep during the day so they’re at their prime when we are ready to sleep. Love you, Mervi and Virginia.
Will continue to pray for you and Bro. Buxton.
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I prayed for you. You can’t leave us, yet. It’s not time. You have a lo-o-o-o-o-o-ong time left here. 🙂 ♥ you.
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Well, I’m going to pray for you anyway. Hope you’re feeling better soon.
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Praying for you and Bro Buxton. Love your story about night visitors. Looking forward to hearing a good report and another story about “The night without visistors” LOL.
God Bless!
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Glad to know you took your sense of humor to the hospital with you. It’s not a place for rest. I think they do that so you’ll want to get well quickly and be on your way…
Praying all goes well and you’re home resting soon.
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You, as well as the medical staff caring for your, are in my prayers. I agree, don’t go to the hospital if it is rest you need!! I pray you are released to your restful home today.
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Shirley, your post on the nice people was really, really cute. Glad to hear it wasn’t too serious. These times make us more closer to our Heavenly Father. I know exactly how you feel, and especially when they come in at 2:30AM and want to know if you need a sleeping pill!!!
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