Late On the Sixth Floor

It is 4:37 a.m and can no longer fall asleep. It gets very tedious trying to turn over while my right arm is connected to a long I.V line. A ritual that I have come to get used to. The nursing staff is enjoying the quiet sound of patients sleeping. I walked down the isles, making my way to the coffee maker. There is a pot on, however, the hotplate has been turned off. I make a fresh batch for myself and some of the nurses. They appreciate the fact that I am a very independent patient, asking for very little from their services. The night staff has a habit of always bringing bags of assorted snacks to fuel them through the night. The type of snacks that one could only find in Little Cambodia or the "ethnic isle" at Stater Bros. I make my cup of coffee and retreat back to solitary confinement. Robot Chicken is on Adult Swim. It is amazing how much I have become dependent on the little 17" television that hangs on the wall opposite of my bed. The nurses will soon be giving reports to oncoming nurses around 7:00 a.m. " I wonder which nurse will take over the duties of caring for me?" One of many little brief highlights of my day.