Becky really enjoyed her afternoons working as a volunteer at the local hospital. Sometimes she would read to a patient or maybe take one for a walk in their wheelchair. Her duties seemed to run the gamut, and she loved helping people. Today she had helped an eighty six year old lady write a letter to her grandson who lives in New York, and later on she helped feed a young girl who had both of her arms in casts. Where ever she could help is where she wanted to be! After watching the doctors and nurses in action for the past year, Becky had decided that she would go to nursing school after she graduated high school next spring as she couldn’t thing of a better way to make money and continue helping people at the same time.
Down in the cafeteria Becky was having a snack when the head nurse stopped by her table and told Becky that a new patient in room 545 needed some cheering up. Becky told her that she would see to it right away, and after she entered room 545, Becky was taken back by all the tubes and wires connected to the patient! She picked up the medical chart hanging from the wall and found out that the patient, Phil Grove, had been in an automobile accident and had sustained multiple injuries, including many broken bones. Thinking he was asleep she was about to leave when she heard a soft voice calling out. She went over to him and gently caressed his cheek with her soft hand, and a small smile crept across his face and he whispered “thank you” in such a low voice Becky could hardly hear him speaking. As his eyes drooped shut and he slipped off into a deep sleep, Becky quietly left the room, promising to herself that she would check in on Phil Grove tomorrow afternoon.
The next day Becky was making her rounds and finally arrived at room 545. When she went inside she could see that the TV was going and that Phil was watching a game show. “Feeling better today Mr. Grove,” asked Becky? “Yes, much,” replied Mr. Grove, “and call me Phil, okay?” Becky sat down in the chair next to the bed and together they watched the rest of the program. While making small talk, she found out that Phil had been passing through town and had been broad sided by a drunken driver. He had broken his right hip, both arms, and had ruptured his spleen, but the worst thing was not being able to use his arms since they both were in casts. Becky offered to feed him his supper if he felt up to it, and after thanking her, he told her that that would be nice. After dinner, Becky got up to leave, but promised she would come back again tomorrow. Later on, as she left the hospital and head for home, she couldn’t help but think what a nice man Phil Grove was.
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