So happy together.

Me and you and you and me

No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be

The only one for me is you, and you for me

So happy together

from The Turtles "Happy Together"

The other day I knelt before my patient like a royal subject. She wasn't there to see me, actually. Instead she'd already received care by another provider and had asked a nurse if I was around. I found her there in the center of the hallway, sitting in her motorized wheelchair.

I touched her shoulder first and didn't say a word. She is hard of hearing so I knew that getting her attention this way would be her preference. Her head gently turned to the side and when we locked eyes, she erupted into a smile. I took her hand from over her shoulder, walked around and then bent at the knees right in front of her.

"Hello Pretty Lady," I said like always. My mouth and pronunciation were very deliberate and distinct because I knew she'd be reading my lips. "You Were Looking For Me?"

She always spoke back regular since she knew I could hear her fine. "Remember what I told you about? That day I saw you in the cafeteria? I worked it out."

I paused for a moment. I wasn't sure what she was talking about. She could tell so spoke again. "Remember? My body. What I said I want to do."That's when she reached into her pocket book and handed me a piece of paper.

"Donation of Body to Science and Education."

"Wow," I said. "You Did It."

"I sure did. And now it is almost final." Then she pointed at one area on the sheet. "But I need you to be a witness. I want it to be you as my witness."

"Me?" I pronounced the word and pointed to my chest. She nodded hard. My face exploded into a huge grin. I loved that she'd hunted me down for this. "I Would Be Honored."

I pushed my hands on my knees and carefully rose to a stand. Taking the paper from her hand, I scanned it carefully and then found the line for my signature. After my John Hancock was prominently displayed on that sheet, I came down to my knees again. "Here You Go, My Dear." She read my lips and smiled.

"Thank you, love."

"I'm Glad I Saw You To-day." Again, I made sure she could see my mouth moving.

"Me, too," she replied. Then her face grew serious. "I am nearing the end of my days in this life. No, I'm not sick but I am older. I like knowing that my body can help somebody learn how to take care of somebody one day. That makes me happy inside."

And me, I just squeezed both of her hands with mine and just looked into her eyes when she said that. Then my face felt a little hot and my eyes a bit prickly from emotion because this? This is Grady. And being at Grady makes me feel happy inside, too.

Yeah.

***
Happy Wednesday Morning, y'all.

Now playing on my mental iPod. . . . . so happy together.