Love Can Happen Anywhere

Kick start of the day

Having promised herself an early start. Ellen stared accusingly at the silent alarm clock and raced to answer whoever was pounding on the door. She threw it open to find Nysa Jacob, fully dressed, regarding her anxiously.

“ I thought so …..that alarm of yours must have run itself to a standstill . How on earth do you manage to do it Ellen? Get moving  hon if you are going to try and make it on time for duty list. I'm just off, I'll try and cover it for you but I cannot promise anything .”

Ellen groaned and made a dash for the bathroom, emerging from the nurses home ten minutes minutes later still pink from a to hot shower and wondering how on earth she was going to have  breakfast, as well as reach the hospital on time.

she hurried to the large glass doors into the main reception and immediately became aware of  familiar quickening to her pulse. There was something about the atmosphere of the old but famous hospital which seemed to grip her not just the light and airiness of the newly modernise portals and wards but the smell. She knew  that a lot of people did not like the faint but definite smell of antiseptic, the coldness of stainless steel and what the outsiders often saw as the col efficiency of the hospital at work, but she felt none of those things. On the contrary she love them, seeing them rather as a source of hope for the people who came through those doors and went out, most of them at least cured.

Her rose and with a smile on her lips she answered the enthusiastic  wave of John, the small stout figure behind the desk.

“Morning John. It's going to be busy day today isn't it?”

John's sniffed. "Shouldn't be surprised, human nature being what it is first, nothing new on your ward though, so far. Quiet night in fact. So you can just relax yourself.”

"Oh well, that will have pleased night sister anyway." Ellen humoured him. John like to give her his own daily report, even if it was often interspersed with colourful detail and gossips. "How's your cold John? “

He knew better than to suspect, little nurse Ellen for being sarcastic. "This is never going to get any better. "He sighed.

keeping a very eye on the Clock, she caught sight of her  favorite women Nora Ramirez,  Nora was also her flatmate.  she waved her from the door leading to the stairs .

“Any post for men surgical, John? I might  as well take it with me.” She said hurriedly wanting to catch up with her friend.

“Here we are." John said handed the post to her. And she sailed away, catching up with her friend so that they went up stairs together.

“Oh, no and I thought I was going to make it and all I need is to be late for report .”

Norah  looked at her friend very curiously, she then smiled wickedly. “tell me something new about it Ellen.” you have got three minutes." Nora held the door open. "I don't suppose you've thought about what you ae going to do about the coming annual gathering? and if you haven't, don’t break your head and continue to do your work at ease. I am off my shift timing and have a day off, so I'm going to sleep it off.”  Norah patted her hand and left.

There was time when Ellen whished her friend was not so expressive. She bit her lips crossly but did not say anything.

She then dashed on to the Men’s surgical, a smile on her lips as she felt a familiar routine of the ward close in around her.

The night staff had left and the head nurse Cynthia was going over the ward, discussing each patient’s condition in turn and generally setting out the day’s work.  “No new admissions,” She said crisply, “ Which is just as well because heaven knows where we would put them.”

“The ward on the third floor has a couple of empty beds, sister.” Marina Muller the recently joined nurse said with enthusiasm.

The head nurse frowned. “ They are on take this weekend though, aren’t they? Oh, well, I dare say it will sort out itself out. It usually does somehow."

The peace of the day seems to be set by the shrilling of the telephone bell. The head nurse leapt to answer it, leaving Marina Muller to ensure that the daily routine was under way.

Beds were made and the inevitable round of medicines; pulse, temperature and respiration checks; dressings up the patients wound, interposed with mid- morning drinks, lunches and the comings and goings between the ward and the operation theatre. Ellen found she could barely breath as she had so many tasks in hand simultaneously.

There were patients who had to be taken to the operation theatre and others coming back who needed constant nursing.

“You can go to the theatre with Mr Lyons, nurse.” Head nurse caught Ellen, just as she finished a pile of soiled linen.” He’s just had his pre-med so it should be taking effect pretty soon.”

“Okay sister.” Ellen whispered.

“Oh, and on your way back, could you please go to the X-ray and see if they have managed to find Mr Joni’s plates.  Doctor Knight is in a surgery , So doctor Craig will be coming for the rounds and he might need them.”

Ellen’s heart gave a light skip  of relief at the thought that she wasn’t going to bump into the senior doctor that morning at least. In fact she liked doctor Craig and so did everyone. Daniel Craig was young and very good at his job and hadn’t yet acquired the air about being a renowned doctor, he was very down to earth not like senior doctor, Mike Knight. He was very bossy and arrogant. She could never forget the first encounter she had with him.