She nodded.
‘I meant it, when I said I really enjoyed the other night,’ I told her. ‘And I don’t care that you saw the message and jumped to the wrong conclusion. It was a simple misunderstanding. Now forgotten.’
She smiled gratefully. ‘Thank you.’
I sat quietly and observed her work, while she did what she needed to do. Asking him about his mood, and whether he’d had any numbness or tingling. She tested his grip strength and got him to recite a few specific sentences. She was very thorough, and very patient and kind with him. From experience over the last few days sitting with my father in the hospital, I knew that not all nurses were. I also knew from bitter experience growing up that neither were all teachers. I guess it was the same as any profession, you got good eggs and bad eggs.
‘How about a little walk,’ she said to my father.
‘I’m not sure I’m up to it,’ he replied, looking uncertain.
‘Only one way to find out.’ She smiled. ‘Don’t worry, we won’t go far and you can stop at any time.’
‘I’ve been managing to get to the bathroom and back,’ he said. ‘With Eleanor’s help.’
‘That’s great, but I’d like to see if we can make it a little bit further.’
He sighed.
‘It helps with your recovery,’ she informed him. ‘Sometimes your brain needs to do these things to rewire itself.Andit significantly lowers your chances of having another stroke.’
I got to my feet and crossed the floor to the bed. ‘In other words,’ I told Dad, ‘it’s important. You can do this.’
He frowned, looking frustrated. ‘I’m the father; you’re the son. It’s not natural for you to be the one helping me. It’s bad enough Eleanor has to do it.’
‘Come on, Dad,’ I said softly. ‘You know that’s not how life always pans out. This is just temporary until you’re back to full health.’
‘I’ve only just got out of the hospital.’
‘I know. But as any doctor will tell you,’ Mae said, ‘physical activity is an important part of your rehabilitation.’
He sighed again, but this time with resignation. ‘You two aren’t going to let it rest, are you?’
Mae smiled at me. Co-conspirators. ‘No.’
Dad sat up and shuffled his body to the side of the bed with help from us. It took him a long time, and I had to work to keep my face from betraying how much it upset me, seeing him so weak and dependent on others for help with something so basic. He was breathless and sweaty from that small exertion, and I almost asked Mae if this was necessary, but I didn’t want her to think I doubted her.
‘You’re doing great,’ Mae told him when we had him sitting upright on the edge of the bed. ‘Take a minute to catch your breath if you need to, and when you’re ready we’ll get you to your feet and go for a little walk.’
‘Where?’
‘Just down the hallway. Not far. I saw a large feature window with a bench seat at the end when I came in. How about we go and check out the view from there?’
‘I’ve seen that view a million times in my lifetime,’ Dad retorted. ‘And the view from the window in here is the same view.’
I knew it was only because he was frustrated at his current situation. My father had always been a proud, good-looking man. Having a beautiful woman like Mae see him in this state, in his pajamas with his hair unkempt, would be killing him inside. But if Mae took his irritability personally, she didn’t show it.
‘Ready?’ she asked patiently.
He sighed. ‘Fine. Let’s just get it over with.’
The three of us shuffled like some weird version of a three-legged sack race. Mae and I letting my father take the lead. Using us for support but carrying his own body weight as much as he could while walking. We had to adjust out positions to negotiate the doorframe, but once we were in the hallway and found our rhythm, it didn’t take long to get to the window. I braced and took my father’s weight while he lowered himself onto the seat, breathing heavily from the short walk.
‘Are you OK?’ I asked him.
He waved a hand. ‘Fine. I just need a minute.’
‘You did well,’ Mae told him. ‘I know it was hard. Let’s take five minutes to admire the view before we get you back into bed.’
