11/20/08 - 9pm Visit

This visit didn't start-off too well.  Wendy does NOT like to be alone,so, prior to the 9pm visit, she called me in the waiting room and talked to me for about 45 minutes.  When I got to the room, at Visiting Time, she burst into tears and asked me not to leave her again.  I tried to make arrangements for me to be able to stay, but the Trauma Unit is sticking to their guns on Visiting Hours.

After a couple of minutes, Wendy calmed-down and was comfortable enough to go to sleep.  I watched some TV and stroked her hair until Visiting Time was over.  At that point, I told her that I needed her to rest and do her best to sleep.  She seemed OK and I told her that she could call me anytime, but, just in-case, I went back to the Waiting Room, instead of leaving.  I stayed there through Jay Leno and then ventured a little further away to my office so I could get a little bit of work done.  After about 30 minutes, Wendy called me because she had awaken and was scared.  I talked to her and was able to calm her down.  I explained that she needed to rest if she wanted to heal and get out of there. I told her that she could call me at ANY time, if she needed me.  She was calm and comfortable and, even though she was reluctant to, she said that she would try to sleep.  I promised to wake her up with her favorite Starbucks drink in the morning and she was very excited about that!

At the writing of this email, I have not heard from her again, which should mean that she's resting.  I understand how she could be scared and it's gut-wrenching that I can't be there.  I will be glad when she is healed-enough so that she can be in a room where I can keep her company.

Until the morning,
Shawn