Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: RESTORATION (12/03/20)
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TITLE: Miracle on the Fifth Floor | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lorie Coffin
12/10/20 -
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“Michelle, you are going to have to take over for me here,” Emily said as she stormed out of the patient’s fifth floor hospital room and marched over to the nurse’s station.
“Why, what’s going on?” Michelle rose from her chair and faced Emily.
“He’s unbelievable. I’ve had it with him,” the other woman announced firmly, hands on hips, feet spread wide in a power stance on the polished floor. Her plump cheeks were as flushed and crimson as the Valentine’s Day heart her daughter made for her just last night, now displayed on the wall behind them. The love she had felt then had now vanished like the sun behind the hills on a late winter day.
“Never in my life have I been so insulted.” Her face softened a bit. “Please, Michelle, I’m begging you. Switch patients with me. I’ll take Mr. Burgess in room 504. I know how you feel so sorry for him not having family with him. This guy you will not feel sorry for! You can be a little tough with him like you like to do.” Emily tilted her head with a shy smile. “Please?”
Michelle sighed. “Okay, give me his chart.”
Emily let out a whoop and handed it over. “Thank you!” She brushed past the other nurse and sat down at the desk to do some filing, relieved.
“Let’s see what I got myself into,” said Michelle quietly, walking briskly and confidently towards the grumpy fellow’s room. Stealing herself for a tongue lashing, she paused just outside the closed door and smoothed her uniform. Then she knocked and entered without waiting for an invitation.
“Hello, Mr. Sheppard,” she said with a bit of forced cheer in her voice. “How are we feeling today?” Michelle walked over to where the old man lay on the bed and checked his IV lines and the monitors.
“Another nurse?” Mr. Sheppard barked. “What kind of place you running here? All kinds of people traipsing in and out all day. I want to go home. When can I get out of here?” He fussed in the bed, sitting more upright to confront her. His eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down, frowning. He was intimidating for sure but Michelle had seen worse. Just scared probably.
“Mr. Sheppard, you have been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. You cannot go home yet. Why don’t you relax now and let me fluff your pillow?” She was good at calming patients anger and she was trying her best with this one.
As the nurse reached over the elderly gentleman’s body to grab the pillow, his face suddenly softened as caught sight of her nametag. He stared at it for a moment awkwardly and then his eyes filled with tears. He looked at her like he might cry.
“Michelle Sheppard?” he asked. “Is…is that really your name?” When she nodded, he paused and swallowed hard, leaned back on the bed and let her adjust the pillows. He looked at her now and said softly, “That’s my daughter’s name.”
He hesitated and hung his head shamefully. It looked like he wanted to disappear into the mattress.
“I haven’t seen her in many years.”
“Well, don’t you think we should change that, Mr. Sheppard?” Michelle asked, touching the old man’s gnarled hand with her own with compassion. She lowered her head and her voice and looked him square in the face. “Your cancer is very serious, you know. We don’t know how much time you have left.” She smiled a little then. “If I was your daughter, I’d want a chance to make amends.”
“I…I’ll think about it,” he said quietly. “But it’s been thirteen years.” He let out a sigh.
The nurse patted his hand. “Sounds like you need a miracle.” She turned to leave and opening the door, turned to face him. She pointed to her nametag. “Seems like you got a sign at least.”
For the first time in years, he allowed himself to think about God. After the trial and false accusations, all he’d known were years of estrangement and heartache, leaving him angry, bitter…and alone. How could God turn all this around now?
Working up his courage, the man tentatively reached for the phone beside the bedside and slowly dialed his daughter’s number. His saliva seemed to dry up in his mouth and his breath caught as the amazing miracle began to unfold…
“Hello?”
Based on a true story
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