Love Takes Wing by Janette Oke

Author:Janette Oke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2010-08-21T16:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

Confusion

“And how are ya feelin’ this mornin’?” Belinda asked Mrs. Stafford-Smyth upon entering her room.

“Oh, it’s good to see you!” exclaimed the elderly lady with feeling. “I’ve missed you all weekend.”

“Problems?” questioned Belinda with a frown. She did hope nothing had gone wrong while she had been away.

The woman shook her head and waved a pale hand feebly in the air. “No, nothing . . . nothing specific,” she admitted. “Flo does her best and so does that deah Mrs. What’s-her-name, but it just isn’t the same as when you are heah. They never seem to know. . .”

She went on and Belinda let her talk, much relieved to know that there really was nothing seriously wrong with the woman.

Belinda busied herself checking her patient’s temperature and pulse as Mrs. Stafford-Smyth poured out her woes. Without comment about the complaints, Belinda fluffed up the pillows, politely asking, “Would ya like to sit up in a chair fer a few minutes?”

“Oh my, yes,” responded the woman. “I am so sick, sick, sick of this bed.” Then she hurried on. “You see, that’s exactly what I mean. Those . . . those other two. They nevah think of things like that. They just do the ‘necessaries.’ It’s as though they don’t want to bothah . . . just want to get the day ovah with.”

“I’m sure they don’t feel thet way,” Belinda assured the elderly lady. “It’s jest thet they haven’t had much experience in bedside nursing care. Mrs. Mills has nursed neighbors fer years, but most of her time has been helpin’ mothers an’ newborn babies. Flo is just being trained in nursin’. Luke wants to have a second nurse available so thet one doctor an’ one of the nurses might get some time off now and then. He is even talkin’ of trainin’ a third girl to help jest so she’ll have some knowledge if he ever needs to call on someone. Mrs. Mills is gettin’ older an’ won’t want to nurse much longer.”

“Well, I think it’s a splendid idea to train others. Believe me, I do,” insisted Mrs. Stafford-Smyth. “But you must admit that some folks are fah more adept at sensing needs than othah people are. You are one of those few, Belinda. You seem to feel for the patient—to understand the hardness of the bed and the misery of lying day aftah day on one’s back.”

She hurried on. “I know you need time off. No one can work day and night. But I do hate the days or nights when you are not heah. Things just always go so much—”

“And how is our patient this morning?” a man’s voice asked along with a rap on the door for their attention.

Belinda recognized Jackson’s voice before she turned around to invite the tall young man to enter. Mrs. Stafford-Smyth’s face showed her surprise, and her eyes were filled with questions.

“Mrs. Stafford-Smyth,” said Belinda without really looking directly at Jackson, “this is Dr. Brown, Dr. Luke’s new associate.

Dr. Brown, Mrs. Stafford-Smyth of Boston.

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