Garden of Dreams by Leslie Gould

Author:Leslie Gould [Gould, Leslie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-55297-6
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2003-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

“Let’s get you up,” the nurse said. “Swing your feet out of bed onto the floor.”

Jill looked at the nurse. Her big brown eyes were kind, like Caye’s. Her hair was short and gray. She wore a bright Hawaiian scrub shirt and blue scrub pants. Jill had forgotten her name. She looked at the nametag dangling in front of her and read “Diane.” “How’s the pain?” Diane asked.

“Better. I think I’m getting the pain thing, the pump, figured out,” Jill said.

“Do you feel like you can stand?” I can try.

“And walk out into the hall?”

“Okay.” Jill put her weight on her feet. She could feel her muscles pull, the incision tighten. She stood.

“Good,” Diane said. “How about a few steps? The IV pole will come along with us.”

Rob hadn’t packed her slippers. Jill hadn’t thought to ask him to. Her thick socks padded against the carpet.

She was tired, overcome by that sickening feeling of exhaustion. She took a step toward the door and winced.

Rob had come by at 8:30 and then gone into work. She’d been near tears when Rita called.

“Do you and your husband have any kids?” Diane asked.

“Uh-huh,” Jill answered. “Three boys.”

“How old?”

“Almost five, almost three, and almost one.” Jill said, reaching the hall. She stopped.

Jill raised her head. Diane’s eyes looked misty. She smiled gently, pulling the IV pole even with Jill.

“This is hard work,” Jill said.

“Yep,” Diane answered. “And you’re doing great.”

“They didn’t get all of the tumor.” Jill paused and took a shallow breath. “And it’s spread to my lymph nodes.” She stopped walking. “I was so sure that it hadn’t, so sure they were going to get it all. That I would do the chemotherapy as a precautionary measure, just to make sure.”

Jill took another step. “I have to fight this. I have to beat it. The odds don’t look good, but God will see me through.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve watched on this floor,” Diane answered, “it’s God seeing people through, over and over.”

“Really?”

“Really. Tell me, what do you like to do?” Diane asked.

“Garden. Paint. Be a mom.” Jill smiled, a quick half smile.

“What part of Ashland do you live in?”

“Up above Briscoe School.”

“Nice.”

“We have an old fixer-upper.”

“And three kids? You must be busy.”

“It’s what I’ve always wanted.” Jill stopped again and fought for a deep breath. “Why did you choose to be an oncology nurse?” she asked, leaning against the wall.

“My mom died from cancer when I was sixteen,” Diane answered.

“I’m sorry.

Diane smiled. “The nurses who took care of her made me want to be a nurse.” Diane paused and then continued. “You’re here because you have to be. I’m here because I want to be.”

“I’m counting the days, the hours, until I get out.”

“Do you have help at home?”

“Yes. Good friends.”

“Great. Let’s head back to your room. I’ll help you clean up, and then you should rest.”

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