29th of December. As the new year drew near, the hospital continued operating around the clock, the general ward held its usual mix of illness ,some beds were blessed to be emptied just before New Year Eve, while others had to welcome it with the company of nurses and fellow patients .
"Doctor William, Miss Ryan had a high fever last night. Thankfully, it went down after a few hours, but now she has a mild fever, " Edith reported while attending to a young lady who was admitted two days ago .
"Keep monitoring her temperature, and report any changes " William said, adjusting his glasses .
"Nurse, may I have a glass of water, please," a middle-aged woman asked .
"Of course….here you go "Joan handed her the cup
It was Joan's first day at the women general ward . Until now, her duties had kept her within the men's ward, and she had no reason to visit the women's section . After nearly ten days of training , Mrs Clarke had instructed Edith to transfer with Joan temporarily , as one of the nurses had fallen severely ill, and the holiday rotation system had left a shortage of staff . Fortunately, the men's ward had been quieter lately .
"You should know "Edith began, "that although we provide similar care to both men and women,they have different needs , and even if women may seem gentler, it does not mean they're easier to attend to "
She paused before adding
"Speak less and don't get too involved with patients; it could lead to trouble .... especially if rumours began to spread "
Her expression hardened slightly.
"There was a nurse here once," she said.
"She spoke carelessly. Passed along something she had heard… nothing confirmed."
Joan listened quietly.
"By the end of the day, half the ward believed a patient was dying," Edith continued.
"The woman refused her treatment out of fear."
She looked at Joan directly.
"Words spread faster than illness. Remember that."
"I will be careful," Joan assured with a nod .Of course Joan knows the basics of maintenance relationships between a patient and medical care , as there were not short of similar issues even in the twenty first century
"Joan, over here" Lily waved for Joan after she picked her lunch .
"I felt strange for not seeing you for a whole shift today, so how was the women ward ? Any difficult patients?" Lily asked , taking a sip of her chicken soup.
"Not really. Everyone is polite, it just took time to get used to the different arrangements of tools " Joan replied between bites.
"That's good. Honestly, I prefer the men's ward . When things get rough or someone gets out of line it's easier to ask for help , unlike the women ward" Lily said ,then she began complaining about some difficult patients she had encountered in the women ward last year.
And so ,the rest of the day passed as Joan familiarized herself with new patients, attending to their needs , and taking notes .
" Assist Miss Ryan with her dinner , after giving Mrs catamaran her medicine " Said Edith , handing out trays, one after another .
Joan nodded , giving the medicine to a smiling elderly woman before heading to Miss Ryan.
" Do you feel better now, Miss Ryan ?"
Joan asked as she helped Ryan sit up.
"I still feel tired…. and a little lightheaded, but much better then this morning"
Miss Ryan replied ,reaching for the spoon with her left hand. Her right arm had been injured along with her head when the cabinet fell on her.
"If it's difficult,let me help you," Joan said ,after seeing her hand tumble, causing some soup to spill.
"I don't want to hinder you , I can manage my left hand" Ryan said
"You are my patient, it's my job to help" Joan replied gently , taking the spoon and offering her a small portion.
While Ryan ate, she began to feel lighter ,her mind clearer. Even the pain from her injuries seemed to lessen slightly. She paid it little attention, assuming it was simply the food restoring her energy .
Joan continued her work quietly, unaware of the subtle changes in the patients under her care—or the faint shift within herself.
" That concludes the end of the shift . Good work" Edith said
"thank you, good night–see you tomorrow" Joan said, exhausted.
...….....
Knock knock
Joan closed her book ,and stood to open her door
"Hi ,Joan . Do you still have some of those tea leaves ?I ran out" Jinen asked , holding her cup
"The jar is over there, help yourself" Joan said, letting her in.
Sometime ago , Lily had invited Joan to a small gathering in her room. It was warm and lively. Joan felt welcomed,and she got to know several new people__ Jinen amongst them .
"Which book are you reading?" Jinen asked , noticing the book in Joan's hand.
"the lost world, it's an adventure book " Joan replied, lifting her gaze
"you can borrow it after i finish it , if you'd like "
"I'm not sure…..I prefer romance"Jinen refused after a moment of thought.