Short Stories~ Bytes & Peaces

There's A Pulse

A/N: Thanks for clicking through.

☆Subject: John Lennon
☆Setting: Roosevolt Hosp, Dec '80 ☆Synopsis: The nurse and the patient.

❤️ There's A Pulse- 14500 words, 1 chapter.
💙 Pulse is an early work of mine so Learner Driver Plates are attached.
💜 Pulse is mostly from the point of view of Nurse Bree and covers the recovery of JWL.
💘 I am not a medical person if something is mentioned incorrectly please do let me know and I will fix it.
💖 John doesn't die.

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~Late on the night of
Dec 8th 1980~

"Evening all, how was everyone's week"

Various responses ring out across the nurse's station and beyond; locker room, wash station located to the side of the desk, and the drug room across the narrow hall where Elaine stood punching in the code.

"I drank too much and thought I was kissing Steve McQueen turned out it was a taxi driver from Queens, soooo close"

"Nothing"

"Work, double shifts ugh"

"Went to mums"

"Took a carriage ride round central park..... and Mark proposed Arrrr!!!!!"

"Oh, give us a gander, that would have cost a pretty penny"

"Candy machine 20 cents"

"Diane that is not nice"

"Right you lot cut the mooching, close out and handover!" Head nurse Nancy smiled over her orders, she was the biggest hypocrite of the lot when it came to be mooching on a Monday night as her work week was ending. Tuesday and Wednesday being her 'weekend' for foot loose and fancy-free Nancy inspired mayhem.

And how was your life changing event, Bree?" Nancy followed my amble into our locker-room, rounding me up and giving me absolutely nowhere to run and hide.

"He ranted, hit the wall beside my head and walked out..... and can you believe it, he called me a tight wad after leeching off me for ... what? two years or more. He had a wallet but it was sealed shut with cobwebs"

"No tears?" Nancy watched my face, the trouble was I had let a few fall but more at my own stupidity and wondering why I allowed myself to be used. He had the cash but so convienently 'forgot 'his wallet on numerous occasions. I had expressed my views on my live-in bludger with a degree- that came wrapped with a side dish helping of emotional extortion and violence before clocking off for the weekend. Nancy knew I was going to lay down the law sooner rather than later.

"A few but angry, narly ones with a big load of cuss words screamed randomly into the pillow" I grinned putting on the 'brave' face the mask of cordial workplace requirement- anything to get you through the night.

"Good" One-word Nancy uttered as there wasn't anything else to say. I did it, grew strong and stood my ground. We returned to the desk and I eyeballed the whiteboard on the wall behind, Nancy nodding at the scribbled pen marks indicating rooms, names, nurses "You're on alert, missy"

Oh.

Alert meaning there was a live one in theatre but they may or may not make it into our intensive care unit, our ward.
Twenty beds, a nurse per bed, Roosevelt at the forefront of the one on one care.

"VIP"

Double Oh.

Nancy tapped the red marker on Room 20's line, vacant and waiting. The room was walled as opposed to the rest of the beds on ward. They all had was a clear window between the hall and them then light curtain swaying sails for the times decorum was required. At all other times, everybody saw everything. A separate entrance was also available if required to the walled room. For family, visitors, doctors, a quick gettlaway to theatre or hopefully front door, and staff. All to stop beady eyes staring.