note:not actual patients/couple
have you ever seen the movie up? well this cute old man i swear was his twin. thick glasses, defensive personality and all. i mean g r u m p y! he came in late one evening protectively watching over his wife. she wasn't doing well and the triage nurse took her straight back. i asked if he could help me check her in (policy, normally patients are checked in first, but her needs were so immediate the nurse and i were multitasking) to which he replied,
"no. i want to be with my wife." and slipped away into the room.
i sat there for a few minutes and debated at how to approach this. i n e e d e d to get his wife checked in. but i didn't want to ruin his night by doing so.
i poked my head in the room and explained that the b e s t way for him to help her would be to get her checked in so the hospital employees could do the work they needed to.
he fumbled through her purse trying to find the needed paperwork. even hooked up to all the machines, she noticed his increasing frustration and pulled the bag from his hands and found the documents immediately.
now he was r e a l l y frustrated.
he came to my desk, and my heart changed.
i simply asked him, "how did the two of you meet?"
i watched as his entire demeanor started to change starting with his body language and ending with his eyes.
"the least likely place to find an eternal companion, at a bar."he grinned.
we laughed and he slowly became somber.
he looked up at me and smiled, "now we've been sealed 44 years."
as we completed the needed paperwork and talked about all he'd learned, he finished by saying
"n o t h i n g worth fighting about is e v e r more important than your sweetheart."
i told him i would never forget it, that i was finished and could show him back to his.
he walked into her room and held his sweetheart through their long night.
i walked out smiling and thinking about mine.
