THE WARD

The ward is a hive of activity. The FED settles into bed and promptly falls back to sleep. It's amazing how something like a simple shower can sap you of all energy after you have had a medical procedure.She is in a four bed ward. One of the beds is occupied by a young African male who looks uncomfortable about being in an otherwise female room. Unfortunately this is one of the downfalls of a public health system that is bulging at the seams. The young man keeps the curtains drawn around his  bed but this does not deter the nurse. She enters and starts interrogating him. At the question "do you take drugs" his mother resplendent in African traditional dress mutters something. The nurse asks him what she said. "She told me to tell the truth" he says.

Across the corridor an elderly Italian man is yelling for help. "Aiuto" he yells. "Aiuto,Aiuto, I wanna go home". A nurse tells him he is going nowhere. This infuriates the man who raises his voice and continues roaring " Aiuto" to anyone who passes. I stifle a giggle because he remembers his manners when women pass. First he says " buongiorno" and then roars " aiuto".

A few minutes later the man roars that he wants " a fecking fire". The nurse at her wits end offers him a blanket. He roars that he " doesn't want a fecking blanket. He wants a fecking fire". She adopts a tone of someone speaking to a child as she explains that in hospitals we can't build fires. This placates him for a minute until once more he recommences with his cries of " aiuto".

Back in our room while my daughter snores, the nurse has decided the young African boy needs his morning shower. He refuses. She tries to change his mind but eventually has to back down. It's obvious the poor kid has no intention of displaying his Crown Jewels in front of this nurse and would fight for his honour if he had to. 

A new bed arrives in the ward, followed by an entourage of dialect speaking family. It must be wog day. Nonna is obviously unwell and judging by the amount of tubes coming out of her, it's recent. She manages however to beat her chest, an action that takes me back to my childhood. Over the next few days everytime I asked Nonna how she was, she would beat her chest to emphasise how bad she was. Only another wog would understand.

Nonna's son did not leave his mothers side. He was there when I left and there when I arrived. The respect and love for his mum was obvious. To thank me for asking his mother how she was, he took to giving the FED encouragement to stay positive. The FED told me she wanted to shove his "be positive" mantra where the sun doesn't shine.

African boy is relocated to a men's ward. His Mum winks at me on the way out and I crack up laughing. Wonder if he got a shower?

Till next time...xxx