When I regained consciousness it was night in a large open hospital room propped up on the bed so I could see out the window. I was wearing a white gown, and there were tubes coming out of my arms.
A nurse walked in and asked if I wanted to eat something, I was famished. I wanted to say I am starving but it came out more like “f… f… f…” It wasn’t really the food, I just forgot that I couldn’t say anything. I was thinking that maybe it would only take a minute to regain my speech. In this moment I was coming to a realization that maybe this was my new reality and it pissed me off, I was livid. I started to raise my voice louder, but what came out was garbled.
The nurse was trying to help. Holding two small dixie cups she asked again what I wanted, I stared blankly. She put the cups down on the table. In the meantime she checked my vitals. When she walked out I inhaled the food. When she came back later, and asked if I wanted more,I nodded. At least I could make gestures.
I was looking forward to having more food but they told me I could only have a little more, and even then only soft food because I still had to rest up for the operation. What operation? I thought to myself. I was disoriented and realized I didn’t know how long I had been there or what day it was.
Stay tuned for Seattle, Part 2
Dave Keller 