Chapter 29

The MRI was uneventful, although it seemed to take roughly a glacial epoch to get through the line of patients waiting their turns (only about two hours in reality). The pain pills had kicked in nicely, and my ribs were merely achy and the rest of my somewhat battered body wasn't bothering me at all. I didn't expect that to last once things stiffened up.

Since pretty much nothing in a hospital is done efficiently or rapidly, it was no surprise to be wheeled back to the ER only to find that I should have been taken directly to 2-West where my bed awaited. Before I let Ann wheel me upstairs, I twisted her arm into checking with the doc to see if she could remove the catheter.

Thankfully, he agreed that it could be removed, so Ann deflated the little balloon holding it in place, told me to take a deep breath and hold it, and yanked it out. As usual, this feels something like pulling a golf ball on a string through a garden hose, but it was certainly a relief to have it out!

I called Dave on my cell phone while Ann was wheeling me to the room. He told me that he would be on the way shortly with Marian and Rita. They had all gone out for a sandwich while they awaited my call. That reminded me that it had been quite a while since I'd had those donuts. I decided to see about getting some sort of snack when I got settled in.

Once we got to 2-West, I was allowed to climb into my assigned bed. Oddly enough, the other bed in the semi-private room was unoccupied. I hoped that the previous inhabitant had been able to leave the hospital under his own steam.

With only a moderate amount of begging, I was able to get some scrubs to replace the backless gown, and the promise of a sandwich. The floor nurse was a cheerful black lady named Trina, who, it turned out, had once been a paramedic before leaving for more lucrative pastures. My current association with the Ambulance Authority gave me an "in" with her and led us to a round of "do you knows?".

It was approaching four o'clock when Dave and the ladies arrived. Dave had put a change of clothes and the book I'd been reading in one of my small duffle bags. Marian and Rita gave me big (but gentle) hugs. I told Rita that we would have to stop meeting here at the hospital- Dave would be getting suspicious.

That got a laugh all around. I then had to recount my adventure (heavily censored of the morning's earlier activities).

The consensus was that I was extremely lucky (an assessment I heartily seconded). I finally convinced everyone that I was OK but tired, and managed to get them all to head home. As everyone was leaving, my house doctor wandered in. He'd looked at my chart and told me that, barring anything cropping up; I'd be released in the morning. I was not to drive for two days, and that I was not to go to work for two days either. Marian assured him that I would not be allowed anywhere near the office. Dave told me he'd pick me up in the morning- I was to call when they released me.

I followed them as they went to the hallway and watched as they walked away. As they did, I felt a wave of emotion well up in me.

"Hey ya'll- hang on a second" I called. They stopped and turned as I came up to them.

"I just realized again that you three are all the family I have. I'm not too good at saying stuff like this, but I want you to know that I love you all" I said as my eyes teared up.

Marian and Rita teared up too, and even Dave sounded a little choked up. "Aw John- we know it. You and I and Rita go back a long way."

"John- you're like one of my kids. Just like them, you're a lot of trouble sometimes, but worth it" Marian said as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

"Well, I won't keep you, but I wanted you to know how much you all mean to me. Now, give me another hug and get out of here!"