Chapter 4
To Steve's surprise the next two days went pretty well. Much to his relief he was spared having to depend on urinals and bedpans. He was allowed trips to the bathroom under heavy guard from his father or Jesse. When it was time for baths Mrs. Grant helped him with the areas where his ribs had been bound and also the site where the stitches were. She left him alone to administer to his more private areas.
For the most part Steve was finding it tolerable at best to control his temper at the constant attention Nurse Grant seemed determined to lavish on him. A couple of times he found himself counting to 100 and biting his tongue while it seemed Mrs. Grant was doing everything she could think of to bring him to a raging, roiling boil. It seemed there was no limit to the ways she could inflict misery on him. The worst was the way after every time he ate a meal she attacked his face and hands with a wet wash cloth. He was pretty sure that his own mother had never scrubbed him quite as much as this 'obsessed with cleanliness' woman did.
Second only to the washing were the forced naps. Exactly thirty minutes after his morning bath he was forced to lay down and rest for an hour. Then exactly thirty minutes after being washed up after lunch he was forced to lay down and take at least an hour and a half nap. Each one of these delightful events was always accompanied with the ceremonial tucking in. By the time she was finished settling him down for the "nap", Steve felt like a caterpillar in a cocoon. He doubted restraints could have restricted his movements so well.
In spite of her constant hovering over him during his every waking hour, Steve had managed to keep his anger in check and his biting comments to himself.
At first this didn't seem to bother Mark. In fact he found his son's uncharacteristic cooperation and polite behavior rather pleasant. That is until others began to ask him if there was something wrong with Steve. It began with Jesse.
Mark had just sat down at the table in the doctor's lounge with a fresh cup of coffee when Jesse breezed in heading for the pot himself. After pouring a cup and sitting next to the older doctor the two engaged in simple small talk for about five minutes. Mark watched Jesse closely and soon realized that his friend seemed to have something on his mind. Over the last three years Mark had learned to read this young man as well as he did his own son. He had also developed a fatherly attitude towards the boy as well.
"So you want to just tell me what's on your mind or would you like to play the usual game of twenty questions and make me figure it out on my own?" Mark smiled at the puzzled look that Jesse had returned to him at his comment.
"I have to agree with Steve. The way you do that is down right scary." Jesse commented.
Looking a bit confused himself Mark asked. "What are you talking about?"
"The way you always know when we have something on our minds. He told me once that no matter how hard he tried you always caught him when he tried to hide something from you. Now you're doing it to me." Jesse shivered at the eeriness of it.
Mark smiled at his friend and just said. "It's a secret that we father's never share with our kids. Someday, after you boys get married and have kids of your own, you'll develop it too. Now, what's on your mind, young man?"
"Well it's about Steve." Jesse seemed a little hesitant but felt that since Mark was his friend's dad, he was the best person to discuss any concerns he might have over Steve's attitude.
"What about Steve? He seems to be doing fine. Or so I thought. What's wrong?" Mark was just a little more than concerned that Jesse was apparently worried about his son.
"Nothing physical." Jesse was anxious to quell any worries that Mark might be having over his son's health.
"It's just that." Once again Jesse seemed to be at a loss on how to describe his concerns over Steve's attitude.
"It's just what, Jesse?" Mark encouraged him; worried that maybe he had missed something.
"Haven't you noticed how cooperative and quiet he's being this time. I mean even on his best day he can still find something to throw a hissy fit about. He hasn't complained or even once asked when he could go home."
"Well, now that you have mentioned it, he has been rather subdued since that little outburst when Mrs. Grant showed up. Do you think that maybe something is wrong with him?" Mark was beginning to get worried now.
It wasn't like Steve wanted to see how far he could push the patience of the hospital staff. He really did appreciate the kindness and the care that he always got with his all too frequent visits. He just hated being pushed into forced convalescence.
The staff who had been around for some time were quite used to his surly attitude and learned how to handle him with out letting him get the best of them. Unfortunately the turn over in staff sometimes meant that he would get a nurse who had never had him as a patient before. More often than not they went away sputtering and making mental plans on how they could inflict medical tortures to get back at him for the childish behavior he often exhibited when things didn't go his way.
"I think I'll just go and check on him since I've got a few minutes before my meeting with the finance committee. I really haven't spent that much time with him in the last couple of days. I've been so busy trying to get this budget thing settled that I've pretty much left him in the hands of Mrs. Grant. I'll see you later." Mark rose quickly and made his way to his son's room.
"Steven, I'm not going to tell you again to eat your lunch. I'm just going to feed it to you myself. Now sit up and eat your vegetables. You need the vitamins to get better." Mrs. Grant stood firm, with hands on hips, as she gave Steve one of her most fierce glares.
Steve had just about reached his level of tolerance. When his dad poked his head in the room Steve was about to toss the congealed cold vegetables across the room.
"How's everything going in here?" Mark forced a smile to his lips sensing that things were about to explode any minute.
Unable to stop himself Steve launched into an incoherent tirade of babble that had been welling up inside of him for the last two days. "Dad, I can't take this any more! I've been trying and I've even bit my tongue until it's raw but this is it. I need food. I mean real food. I need to get out of this bed. I need to be able to decide when I need to rest. I need to go home. I need to get away from her! I need to be able to go to the bathroom without being escorted by the potty patrol! I just need to be left alone. I promise, Dad, I won't break the rules. Please. Let me go home alone."
All of a sudden Steve was once again gasping for breath. This little tirade of his had brutally reminded him just why he was still in the hospital to begin with. For the next few seconds he tried to gain control of his breathing as the pain began to subside.
Mark couldn't help but feel for his son, seeing the pain that came across his face after the sudden outburst. The last few days must have been all but torture for him.
"I'm sorry Steve but I can't let you do that. You need assistance for a few more days. This little tantrum alone has you gasping in pain right now. I just can't trust you to take it easy on your own. Maybe next time you decide to venture out against your doctors orders you will think about all of this. Try to finish your lunch and get some rest. As far as the food goes, you took quite a beating to your mid section and your stomach is irritated from the blows. We've put you on a bland diet and that's the best I can promise for the next several days. Oh, by the way, it's nice to see you back to your old self. Jesse was afraid something was wrong with you." Mark smiled at his frustrated son.
"What's that suppose to mean." Steve asked sarcastically.
"Well, he was afraid there was something wrong with you since you hadn't turned the staff into a lynching party." Mark raised his eyebrows and watched his son take in his last comments.
"I can't believe it. First you threaten me with restraints and my life if I don't cooperate and when I do you think something is wrong with me. Besides the staff can't even get close to me. In case you haven't noticed I've been heavily guarded by Nurse Ratchet here." Even though he was sweating by this point from his continued outbursts, Steve threw a glare towards Mrs. Grant who was still hovering over her patient.
"That's quite enough Steve. You will show her the respect she deserves. You aren't that easy to deal with. Now, do as you're told or the restraints will be enforced. I'll be back later to check on you." As Mark turned to go out the door he heard a yelp come from his son.
When he turned to look at what had caused his son to cry out it was all he could do to keep from laughing. Apparently Mrs. Grant had pinched Steve on his leg and while he yelled out in pain she shoved a spoon of vegetables in his mouth nearly gagging him on the now disgustingly cold fare. Rubbing his leg he tried to swallow the mouthful of mushy vegetables. Mark chuckled to himself as he went to find Jesse and let him know that Steve was back to normal and to warn the young doctor that the bear was out for blood.
To Steve's surprise the next two days went pretty well. Much to his relief he was spared having to depend on urinals and bedpans. He was allowed trips to the bathroom under heavy guard from his father or Jesse. When it was time for baths Mrs. Grant helped him with the areas where his ribs had been bound and also the site where the stitches were. She left him alone to administer to his more private areas.
For the most part Steve was finding it tolerable at best to control his temper at the constant attention Nurse Grant seemed determined to lavish on him. A couple of times he found himself counting to 100 and biting his tongue while it seemed Mrs. Grant was doing everything she could think of to bring him to a raging, roiling boil. It seemed there was no limit to the ways she could inflict misery on him. The worst was the way after every time he ate a meal she attacked his face and hands with a wet wash cloth. He was pretty sure that his own mother had never scrubbed him quite as much as this 'obsessed with cleanliness' woman did.
Second only to the washing were the forced naps. Exactly thirty minutes after his morning bath he was forced to lay down and rest for an hour. Then exactly thirty minutes after being washed up after lunch he was forced to lay down and take at least an hour and a half nap. Each one of these delightful events was always accompanied with the ceremonial tucking in. By the time she was finished settling him down for the "nap", Steve felt like a caterpillar in a cocoon. He doubted restraints could have restricted his movements so well.
In spite of her constant hovering over him during his every waking hour, Steve had managed to keep his anger in check and his biting comments to himself.
At first this didn't seem to bother Mark. In fact he found his son's uncharacteristic cooperation and polite behavior rather pleasant. That is until others began to ask him if there was something wrong with Steve. It began with Jesse.
Mark had just sat down at the table in the doctor's lounge with a fresh cup of coffee when Jesse breezed in heading for the pot himself. After pouring a cup and sitting next to the older doctor the two engaged in simple small talk for about five minutes. Mark watched Jesse closely and soon realized that his friend seemed to have something on his mind. Over the last three years Mark had learned to read this young man as well as he did his own son. He had also developed a fatherly attitude towards the boy as well.
"So you want to just tell me what's on your mind or would you like to play the usual game of twenty questions and make me figure it out on my own?" Mark smiled at the puzzled look that Jesse had returned to him at his comment.
"I have to agree with Steve. The way you do that is down right scary." Jesse commented.
Looking a bit confused himself Mark asked. "What are you talking about?"
"The way you always know when we have something on our minds. He told me once that no matter how hard he tried you always caught him when he tried to hide something from you. Now you're doing it to me." Jesse shivered at the eeriness of it.
Mark smiled at his friend and just said. "It's a secret that we father's never share with our kids. Someday, after you boys get married and have kids of your own, you'll develop it too. Now, what's on your mind, young man?"
"Well it's about Steve." Jesse seemed a little hesitant but felt that since Mark was his friend's dad, he was the best person to discuss any concerns he might have over Steve's attitude.
"What about Steve? He seems to be doing fine. Or so I thought. What's wrong?" Mark was just a little more than concerned that Jesse was apparently worried about his son.
"Nothing physical." Jesse was anxious to quell any worries that Mark might be having over his son's health.
"It's just that." Once again Jesse seemed to be at a loss on how to describe his concerns over Steve's attitude.
"It's just what, Jesse?" Mark encouraged him; worried that maybe he had missed something.
"Haven't you noticed how cooperative and quiet he's being this time. I mean even on his best day he can still find something to throw a hissy fit about. He hasn't complained or even once asked when he could go home."
"Well, now that you have mentioned it, he has been rather subdued since that little outburst when Mrs. Grant showed up. Do you think that maybe something is wrong with him?" Mark was beginning to get worried now.
It wasn't like Steve wanted to see how far he could push the patience of the hospital staff. He really did appreciate the kindness and the care that he always got with his all too frequent visits. He just hated being pushed into forced convalescence.
The staff who had been around for some time were quite used to his surly attitude and learned how to handle him with out letting him get the best of them. Unfortunately the turn over in staff sometimes meant that he would get a nurse who had never had him as a patient before. More often than not they went away sputtering and making mental plans on how they could inflict medical tortures to get back at him for the childish behavior he often exhibited when things didn't go his way.
"I think I'll just go and check on him since I've got a few minutes before my meeting with the finance committee. I really haven't spent that much time with him in the last couple of days. I've been so busy trying to get this budget thing settled that I've pretty much left him in the hands of Mrs. Grant. I'll see you later." Mark rose quickly and made his way to his son's room.
"Steven, I'm not going to tell you again to eat your lunch. I'm just going to feed it to you myself. Now sit up and eat your vegetables. You need the vitamins to get better." Mrs. Grant stood firm, with hands on hips, as she gave Steve one of her most fierce glares.
Steve had just about reached his level of tolerance. When his dad poked his head in the room Steve was about to toss the congealed cold vegetables across the room.
"How's everything going in here?" Mark forced a smile to his lips sensing that things were about to explode any minute.
Unable to stop himself Steve launched into an incoherent tirade of babble that had been welling up inside of him for the last two days. "Dad, I can't take this any more! I've been trying and I've even bit my tongue until it's raw but this is it. I need food. I mean real food. I need to get out of this bed. I need to be able to decide when I need to rest. I need to go home. I need to get away from her! I need to be able to go to the bathroom without being escorted by the potty patrol! I just need to be left alone. I promise, Dad, I won't break the rules. Please. Let me go home alone."
All of a sudden Steve was once again gasping for breath. This little tirade of his had brutally reminded him just why he was still in the hospital to begin with. For the next few seconds he tried to gain control of his breathing as the pain began to subside.
Mark couldn't help but feel for his son, seeing the pain that came across his face after the sudden outburst. The last few days must have been all but torture for him.
"I'm sorry Steve but I can't let you do that. You need assistance for a few more days. This little tantrum alone has you gasping in pain right now. I just can't trust you to take it easy on your own. Maybe next time you decide to venture out against your doctors orders you will think about all of this. Try to finish your lunch and get some rest. As far as the food goes, you took quite a beating to your mid section and your stomach is irritated from the blows. We've put you on a bland diet and that's the best I can promise for the next several days. Oh, by the way, it's nice to see you back to your old self. Jesse was afraid something was wrong with you." Mark smiled at his frustrated son.
"What's that suppose to mean." Steve asked sarcastically.
"Well, he was afraid there was something wrong with you since you hadn't turned the staff into a lynching party." Mark raised his eyebrows and watched his son take in his last comments.
"I can't believe it. First you threaten me with restraints and my life if I don't cooperate and when I do you think something is wrong with me. Besides the staff can't even get close to me. In case you haven't noticed I've been heavily guarded by Nurse Ratchet here." Even though he was sweating by this point from his continued outbursts, Steve threw a glare towards Mrs. Grant who was still hovering over her patient.
"That's quite enough Steve. You will show her the respect she deserves. You aren't that easy to deal with. Now, do as you're told or the restraints will be enforced. I'll be back later to check on you." As Mark turned to go out the door he heard a yelp come from his son.
When he turned to look at what had caused his son to cry out it was all he could do to keep from laughing. Apparently Mrs. Grant had pinched Steve on his leg and while he yelled out in pain she shoved a spoon of vegetables in his mouth nearly gagging him on the now disgustingly cold fare. Rubbing his leg he tried to swallow the mouthful of mushy vegetables. Mark chuckled to himself as he went to find Jesse and let him know that Steve was back to normal and to warn the young doctor that the bear was out for blood.