Expected.
He was staring at me like I was the sun crashing into the sea.
I removed the cuff and made one last note on his chart.
“Vitals are within range,” I said calmly. “I’ll inform the next physician on shift to keep monitoring progress. The abdominal wound is responding well to the sutures and there are no signs of internal bleeding.”
Still no reply. Just that stare.
I turned toward the foot of his bed, intent on wrapping up and leaving. My fingers hovered over the digital clipboard as I gave the standard discharge from post-op assessment.
“If you experience a sharp spike in pain, sudden shortness of breath, or dizziness beyond the sedative’s expected effect, please use the call button immediately. Do not attempt to move or sit up without assistance. A nurse will be available twe
