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“Very nice to meet you. Take a seat,” the doctor said.
“It’ll be nice when that statement’s directed at me,” Hayden said.
I looked at the doctor and apologized with my eyes before he started flipping folders open.
“So I was taking a look at your accident and the damage you sustained was pretty extensive,” the doctor said. “How are you doing with your recuperation?”
“Shoulder’s fine. Wrist’s fine. Ribs are healed,” Hayden said.
The doctor shot me a look and I rolled my eyes. He chuckled and I saw Hayden shoot his gaze over to me. I crossed my legs and tried to suppress a smile, but Hayden’s eyes were boring a hole into my forehead.
“Nurse Hunter, how has his overall care been going?” the doctor asked.
“I can answer that for you,” Hayden said.
“I need a little more than clipped comments. I need to make detailed notes about your nutrition, your ability to stay with your medications and your physical therapy schedule. I also need notes on your mental status.”
“I’m fine in all those areas,” he said.
“I get that you’re ready to do this surgery,” the doctor said, “but I need more than that. Your nurse understands how this has to go because it will affect the procedure I use to get you up and moving.”
“Wait, what?” I asked.
I watched Hayden’s eyes light up as he turned his head back towards me.
“There are different procedures we can use to get Mr. Lowell up and walking, but a lot of that depends on how he’s been for you. So, let’s start with his nutrition.”
“What kind of procedures?” I asked.
The doctor looked at me as he furrowed his brow lightly.
“Answer my question, please.”
“Sorry. Um… well, his nutrition’s fine now. I’ve gone to great pains to keep good fatty meats and fresh foods to prepare for Mr. Lowell.”
“Though I took over all the cooking a couple of weeks back. Grace is terrible at it,” Hayden said. “We frequently have salmon. Steamed vegetables. Fruit salads. Freshly-pressed juices. Things like that.”
The doctor grinned at me as I sank a little into the back of my chair. And of course, now that there were ‘other procedures’ on the table, Hayden was more than willing to cooperate.
Spoiled brat.
“Nurse Hunter, how is he with medication?” the doctor asked.
“He’s fine with it, to a point. Sometimes I can’t get him to take his pain medication because he’d rather suffer through the pain then risk addiction, I suppose. But when it becomes unbearable, I can get him to take it.”
I watched the doctor make a note as his eyes flew up to Hayden.
“Mr. Lowell, how do you feel your mental state is?”
“I’m fine,” Hayden said. “I have my bad days, but everyone does.”
“Nurse Hunter? Do you agree with that statement?” the doctor asked.
“He’s combative. There are days where his pride gets in the way of a lot of things. Like me helping him with basic bathing techniques and getting frustrated during his physical therapy. He’s cut those sessions shy more than a handful of times,” I said.
Hayden’s eyes were hard on me. Trying to intimidate me. But I was going to be as honest as I possibly could. I wasn’t going to let him get himself into a surgery procedure that wasn’t going to fit with the outcome of his mental state. It would only cause him to fail in his recuperation and maim him for the rest of his life.
“I think what Grace is trying to say-”
