the ward's order

Life at the hospital was entirely different from the routine.
I learnt how to be an docile, bed-rest B4-16.

It's five o'clock.
People started working at the ward.
Workladies putting basins and basins of water on the shelves.
I had no idea what to do with that.

The lady threw my towel to the basin and told me wash my face. I could not make up my mind because of the pain as well as the early hour.
Early bird got the worm, I got the hot towel.
I could barely moved while I was trying to wake myself.
The lady had already dried the towel and put it on my face.
Except my mom and dad, no one had put a towel on my face and even attempted to wipe it.

Cleaning my teeth was also a problem for me. Without a running tap, I could not do that. But my salvation came. A lady handed me a mouth wash. It was just the best thing on earth.

Everyone in the ward was busy.

Nurses pushing blood pressure meters to do their checkings. Measuring temperature, checking bolld sugar level.

Then the ladies rushed again. They distributed breakfast to everyone. With diabetes or non-diabetes.
Time ran fast, it was almost 7:30 am.

Even the patients ate very quickly. I finished the congee immediately without being left behind.

I was the "youngest" in that section, but I was always the slowest.

8:00 am. Teams and teams of doctors flocked in. Nurses followed behind them and picked up instructions. Very quickly, they stormed away.

My plaster was removed for doctors to examine. My feet swelled like a ballon. The doctors explained. The doctors decided that was not the time to have an operation. So I had to wait.

My foot was left "undressed". I did not know what to do. All I could do was wait.

Actually I was not the only one left undressed. All the wounds of the old ladies were awaiting.

Untill, the nurse officer arrived when she picked up the shift.

She came to me and told me what would happen to my leg.

"It would swell terribly. After the operation, your foot will stink. The old skin will peel off."
"So you need to put on lotion now, just be nice to your skin. Give me the lotion. I will put it on."

Actually I could not figure out what was going on because nurse officer often worked behind the station.

It could be a sign of downsize and budget cut, I guessed.

The nurse officer put on the lotion. Though what she was saying to me about the future of my leg sounded terrible. But at least, she helped distract my attention to the pain and fear of the hospital ward.

It was a busy morning for a novice patient. It's hard to imagine patients were busy as well.

a screaming old woman

I have heard about Alzheimer's disease. But I have not met anyone who suffered from the disease. I felt the power of the disease.

After my parents left, the curtain on my left was moving.

A thin old's face appeared between the cracks of the curtain. The face was thin and yellow with two sharp eyes. Her mouth was hollowed except one front tooth.

The woman talked to me. However, I could barely understand what she was talking about.

Then the room resumed to stillness.

I fell asleep quickly. I felt tired and frustrated.

In the middle of the night, a turmoil woke me up.

The old lady was screaming and yelling and cursing.

This woman was cool. I have not heard any ppl cursing continuously in different ways.

The nurses tried to tie her hands to the bed rail because she kept removing her "shoes" (a plastic support to her legs) and dressing, and piling her wounds.

"@#%**, two ppl fighting against one" a yell of justice.

So, I spent my night with swear words and curses.

The nurse explained to me that the old lady suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

I saw the power of the disease.

nursing officer

A nursing officer came to me. She asked how the accident happened.

"slipped and fell at home", I said.

The nursing officer was a funny yet friendly woman.

"That's why fall and slip are dangerous, have you heard old ppl cannot stand any slip and fall."

She gave a briefing to my mom what should be brought to me because I would have a long time staying at the hospital.

"My goodness..." I groaned. I still could not believe it was something so terrible.

Then my parents left. This was the first time for me to stay at the hospital.

To make myself feel better. I just thought of it as a long vacation.