Inside out

during this most recent hospitalization, I was assigned to a double room. :(

First enounter: I was really sick when I was admitted into the room. My roommate #1 greeted me warmly, and I tried to settle in after all the commotion. The TV was blasting next to me, this was our conversation.
Me: Mame, I am really tired and want to sleep, do you mind to turn your TV down a bit so that I can rest? (She was watching "the sharks") which is one of my favorite. But nothing done.
Me: oh did you have problem turning the volume button, it is not any lower.
#1: this is the lowest volume it gets.
Me: do you mind if I ask the nurse to come and check out your control?
#1: if you want to, ( sound kind of disgust)
Nurses were summoned and came per my request.
Nurse: Mame, let me check out your control to see if we can adjust the volume
#1: No, this is the volume I normally have to put myself to sleep.
Nurse turned around and said to me, we are taking you out to another room and get you rested. Wow, sounds heavenly to me.

Second encounter: A petite quiet Japanese lady who does not speak English
Never look at a person from his or her appearance. She was combative, trying all night to climb out of bed. Yelling out daughter's name all night long. I felt I was in nursing home environment. I was so frustrated, on the way to bathroom, I looked at her sternly, motions her to zip her lips and close her eyes. My evil look may have scarred her a bit, but not for long.
Morning shift came in with a joyful nursing aid who is loud and not so professional. He played into her mood, those two just stimulate one another and I was about to scream.

Then the charge nurse came to apologize to me for this unfavorable encounter, she send in an Indian volunteer young man to just sit with her to make sure she does not climb out. This young man was on his I phone learning Japanese phrases to communicate with this lady. I told him he is a saint, but he said, "no Mame, I am a fool". TRue humility.

Third encounter:  A 86 yrs old with a French name
Mid night I was awakened by all the commotion next to my empty bed. Aiyahhhh... They promised me to have no more  roommate if they can help. Urinary track infection causes her to call for bathroom help every 5 minutes. I was dead tired and could have cared less. The sweet nurse came and apologized again for not able to fulfill their promise.

Life is full of curve balls, yet every encounter is in God's hand. The outcome of each of these encounters is all depends on what is inside of me. That is the reason I borrowed the movie title "Inside out" to describe my reent journey.