I get off the bus and take a look up. Seattle Memorial Hospital shines like a beacon in the flat light after a gorgeous Seattle sunset. I take a deep breath and shake myself. "C'mon Ana. This is it. Life changing. One foot in front of another." I set my shoulders straight and walk in.
I glance down at the piece of paper I've crumpled into my hand several times. I find elevator bank 6 and head to floor 12 - Pediatrics. The past 12 weeks have been spent preparing for what lies ahead. My CNA training has been paid for. While not what I want to do with my life, it's a good stepping stone. It's a paycheck which will allow me to move forward with obtaining a degree in English Lit from WSU. The bell rings announcing our arrival to the floor. I step out and glance around nervously. I don't know where to go.
An older woman looks up from the desk down the hall. "Can I help you, dearie? Visiting hours are almost over." "Oh, my name is Ana Steele...I'm a CNA and scheduled to start tonight." She looks up at me, then at her desk and behind shuffling papers. I hear her muttering to herself. A doctor appears at my side. "Anastasia?" I almost stumble, caught off guard. "Uh, yes?" "Oh thank goodness - my memory didn't fail me" she gives me a wink while holding her hand out to me. "Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey. Your RN, Elena Lincoln, came down with an awful cold so you'll be training with me." She motions me to follow her. Heels clicking as we walk down the hall. She motions to one room after another, an abbreviated fast-paced tour. At the end of the hall, she unlocks and opens a door. "Here is the locker room - showers, bathrooms, lockers and bunks all available in here. You're assigned to locker 2020. Throw your stuff inside, get ready and grab the key. Find me in my office, 1205." And with that, she's off.
I take a few moments to place my jacket in the locker. I pull my stethoscope, a small notepad and a few pens to line my scrub pockets. My bag gets shoved inside and with a quick glance at the mirror. I'm off.
I find Dr. Trevelayn-Grey at her desk. She's looking over some charts and making notes here and there. It's incredible watching her work. The time she spends looking at each chart. Watching her pull out images and hold them at different angles, almost as if she's waiting for the mystery within to pop out to her. I quietly clear my throat and apparently startle her. "I apologize", she says. "I get so caught up in my notes I forget there's an outside world." "No worries, Dr. Trevelay-Gray." She giggles. "Grace for now, is just fine. Dr Gray in front of the patients" and with a wink, she's on her feet, rounding the corner.