Nursing Tales from the 'Hood and Suburbia

Book excerpt: The woman was distraught.You've got to save this cat, she said. But, ma'am, this is an ER. I know--emergency.That's why I brought him here. We only work on people, ma'am. This is a hospital for people. We don't treat animals, he said kindly. She started to cry, not cry, but howl. I'm sorry about your cat, the doctor said. She howled louder.It's not my cat, she said.I saw it get hit when I was driving down the street. With that, the cat scratched her arm, jumped from her lap, fell on the floor dead. She stopped howling. She looked at the black mass lying on her feet.Well, see what you've done, she said. He's gone and died. Fine hospital this is. She flounced away,leaving the cat behind. Okay, doctor, now what? Benay asked. He picked up a black garbage bag used for biohazard waste, put the cat inside and deposited all in the trash container nearby. One dead cat, he said. This amusing and wise book tells of one author's ER experiences told to her stepmother when she went to her aid after she tripped over her dishwasher door and broke her leg in three places. Growing warmth between the two women is a highlight as the stepdaughter pulls out all creativity stops to help her stepmom recover and become independent before she must return to her job in Ohio State University's hospital in Columbus. When the stepmom asked Benay why she was going to come, she replied, "Because you married my dad. A different kind of love story, indeed.