Grace Unfolding - Part Nine

     Afternoon of day 4 and 1st day after the big surgery I was back in my husbands ICU room visiting him. His surgeon came to check on him and gave us word that if things continued going as they had been my husband would be transferred to the acute care floor the next day. I confirmed that he would be transferred to the same wing that we had been to on our prior visits. After the surgeon left, my husband asked if I could find out if the nurse that had been such a great help to us before was still there. I had also been thinking the same thing and told my husband I would do some investigating to find out if she was still there. But I had to eat first. I was so hungry.
     As I was finishing my meal in the cafeteria I looked across from my table and saw a familiar face and wondered if he would recognize me. A nursing assistant who was also a very integral part in helping my husband heal a few months before from his prior surgery. I got up to clear my plate and then approached him. He did remember! He gave a big smile and put his hand out to hold mine. I told him we were back and just had surgery the day before. He asked if it was for the same thing and I replied that it was. Then I asked if our nurse was still there on the acute wing and he said that she was. We said good bye and then I took myself up to the acute care wing and sought out our nurse. I asked for her at the nurses station and they said they would call her. As she came down the hall it was like seeing an old friend. We hugged for a long while. She asked where my husband was and I told her he was in the ICU and would be coming to her the next day. She was sad that we were there again under the circumstances of surgery. I agreed of course. I asked her if we could request her as our nurse and she said yes but couldn't guarantee that she could be.
     Soon after I arrived back at my husbands room in the ICU. That evening the fellow of the surgeon was in for a visit and confirmed that we would be making the switch to the acute care wing in the morning. I mentioned to him the nurse that we would like to have and my husband gave him the history of why. The fellow couldn't guarantee it but noted it in the transfer papers and said the transfer would take place by mid morning. I allowed myself to sleep in the next morning until 630a.m. and went and had a light breakfast before going to my husband. When I arrived preparations were underway for the transfer. The fellow came in and said that everything was in order. Then turned to me and said "I went ahead and called to the nurses station and told them what nurse we wanted on your husbands case. It's all been handled." Just like that. Just like grace.