Page 94 of Moving to Love
It was a statement that brooked no argument. The nurse looked at Joci, and she smirked. “Pick your battles.” Once the catheter was removed, it was now time to get dressed. The nurse helped remove Joci’s hospital gown, and Jeremiah gasped at all the bruises and marks on her body.
“God, Joci. Oh, honey, I’m so damned sorry.”
She looked at him and touched his face. “Please don’t worry. They’ll heal.”
They wrestled with her clothing. Jeremiah helped where he could. The nurse cut the right strap of her tank top and then slid the right side of the tank top up under her arm and over her breast. Then she pulled the straps back up over her shoulder and, with a couple of safety pins, fastened them together. They laughed—it wasn’t designer, but it would keep her from showing her visitors anything they shouldn’t see.
“Do you feel like trying to get to the bathroom?” the nurse asked.
She nodded. “I need to know I can do it. Dreading it won’t help. I need to try.”
Jeremiah stood close to Joci. “I want to help her.”
The nurse nodded and instructed him on how to be of the most assistance. She was cut and bruised everywhere. Joci slowly stood and grabbed Jeremiah’s arm. She shook from head to toe.
“We don’t have to do this, honey.”
She shook her head. “Yes, we do. I need to do this.”
She took a tentative step. Then another. With long pauses between each step, it took them forever to get there. Once they made it, Joci was exhausted. She wanted to brush her teeth and wash up a little. Jeremiah insisted on helping her. They filled the sink with water, and he grabbed a washcloth. He wet the cloth and added soap. Gingerly, Joci sat on the edge of the toilet and washed her face, then her underarms. After the two of them wrestled her yoga pants down, she finally washed her lower region. It wasn’t great, but it felt better to feel a little cleaner.
“I never would have dreamed you would have to help me take a sponge bath. It’s embarrassing.”
“Joci, there isn’t a part of you I haven’t already seen. Besides, do you know how impossibly useless I feel not being able to help you? This at least makes me feel like I’m of some use.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. I have no idea what you must be feeling. But I can guess.”
“Ready?” he asked.
She took a deep breath and nodded. He held out his arm, and she grabbed it and hoisted herself up. She cried out a little at the pain, but it wasn’t as bad as yesterday. They slowly made their way back to the bed, and she eased her exhausted self into it. She shook and sweated from the exertion. But she felt great that she had accomplished what she had.
He leaned down and kissed her. “I’m very proud of you. You are one tough cookie.”
Joci smiled. “You better believe it.”
Jackie came back in and saw how pale Joci looked. “God, Joci. Are you okay?”
She opened her eyes. “I went to the bathroom.”
Jackie looked at her sister, her brows furrowed. “Ooooookay.”
Jeremiah laughed. “She means she walked to the bathroom.”
“Ohhhhh. How great. How did it go?”
“Well, I’m exhausted now. So I guess I’m still pretty helpless,” Joci quipped.
Jackie smiled. “But yesterday, you wouldn’t have been able to do that much, so you did great.”
Joci closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
People floated in and out all day. She took catnaps between visitors. She just couldn’t help it. Jeremiah never left. Around 6:30 that evening, Jeremiah’s phone rang. Most of the family was there visiting. He looked at his phone. “Tommy. Hopefully, he has some news.”
He answered his phone and took Joci’s hand in his. “Tommy, what’s up? When?”
Jeremiah looked at Joci and watched her face.
“That’s bullshit. You saw the recording. She knew exactly what she was doing… Okay. I know…sorry. Thanks, Tommy.”
