The Polish Nurse: A WW2 Historical Fiction Novel by Leah Moyes

Author:Leah Moyes [Moyes, Leah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Readmore Press
Published: 2023-09-18T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

17 September 1941

Over the next week, I only had to work with Nurse Ingrid twice. Nurse Huber, the nurse who cared for me during my recovery, offered to take over my training and Ingrid jumped at the chance to unload me—something I was most grateful for since Uta Lata Huber was more thorough, more detailed, and more willing…more everything actually.

Six additional men arrived in the last few days. Four were transferred in from surgery, and the other two had minor injuries from work-related mishaps. According to Nurse Huber, Dresden had quite a few military factories on the outskirts of town, but two other hospitals were closer in proximity, so we only received the injured when they reached capacity. Most of our patients were motor-vehicle accidents or illnesses.

Herr Genau continued to be a delight as I changed his dressings, now with no additional guidance. His initial help led me to know how to tend to the other patients’ burns and I would be forever grateful to him for that. Day after day of his hospitalization, he moved his hands and fingers more freely, but he admitted the pain never fully went away.

“Nurse Vogel.”

“Aleksandra.” I groaned. This had been a daily banter between us. I refused to be called a nurse knowing quite well I was unqualified for that position, but Herr Genau teased me without remorse.

“Tell me about your home.” He asked on the eighth day of my employment. I tried to school my expression and keep myself busy while I remembered the information from my notes.

“I’m from Munich.”

“Hmmm.” His gaze deepened. “I suspected something a little more…foreign.”

I paused, then quickly went on to the ointment. “Well, my grandmother’s family is from East Prussia.” Not a lie. “And my mother has her native accent. I must’ve picked it up myself over time.”

He nodded his head, though he didn’t seem convinced. “Do you have brothers and sisters?”

“I have a younger sister named Karina.”

“Karina, huh? How much younger, though I don’t believe you ever told me your age…Nurse.”

“Aleksandra…” I smirked. “And nope, I didn’t.”

He laughed. “I suppose it will stay that way.”

“Yes.” I smiled back. Truthfully, I wondered what the patients might think if they found out I was only sixteen, almost seventeen.

“Aleksandra, come quick!” Nurse Huber hollered to me from the doorway. “There’s been an accident, an automobile collided with a trolley. We need your help!”

I turned to Herr Genau. “I’m sorry, I will finish wrapping your hands when I return.”

“I understand.” He waved. “Go.”

I wiped my hands free of the ointment on my apron as I rushed out and into another room where attendants were bringing people in from three different ambulances.

“Where do you want me?” I asked Nurse Huber.

“Anywhere you can lend a hand. If someone has an open wound just apply pressure.”

I glanced at the seven bodies, half of them being carried in

by stretchers—all screaming and all in pain from various injuries. Dr. Meier was directing a man to be taken immediately into surgery.

“Here, Aleksandra,” he hollered. “Come and see to this child.

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