When she hung up Carol dialed the number for Sandra. The phone was picked up on the third ring.  A weak voice answered, “Hello.”

“Is this Sandra? This is Carol Dart. We have a common friend, Joan Sutter.  She asked me to call you.”

“She said you would call. She was my nurse for a couple hours.”

“Actually, she was my nurse when I had my two accidents. We became friends later. We see each other a couple times a year.”

“She said you might be able to help, I mean, I have a difficult decision to make.”

“I understand. Well, let me rephrase that. I have no idea what this decision is like. My decision was made for me so I have never had to make that one. I’m also a nurse but I haven’t seen you so I have no medical basis to judge but Joan’s word. However if she says something she believes it and she has gotten the best information available. I also know she is competent and has far more experience in dealing with trauma.”

“I know that. Before they transferred me Joan told me they were going to have to cut off both of my legs.”

Carol could not believe this. She knew this was absolutely wrong.  “Sandra. That would have been a serious breach of ethics for her to tell you that. Joan would not have made that statement.  Are you sure you weren’t drugged and imagine that?”

“Let me explain it better. She didn’t really tell me. I asked questions and watched her face. I hope she doesn’t play poker. She can’t hide her feelings. I knew my legs were bad so I asked if I would be walking on them in six months, then a year, then three year, then ever. Her face said it all.”

“We know the same Joan. When I met her I was a drunk driver who had just lost one leg in an accident. I was a nurse in the same hospital at the time. The other driver was stoned and I lost a leg so they let me off.  They didn’t press charges even though I was stoned. She was a new nurse, just a year out of school. She saw the blood work, knew I was drunk when the accident occurred and she tried to get me into rehab. I finally relented when I got drunk and fell a couple years later in my home and hurt both of my legs. I got her again as a nurse. She can be a real hard nose. I know she can’t lie to you but for some reason I couldn’t lie to her. To be a successful drunk you have to lie. That helped me get off the sauce.”