THE THIRD DAY

The second morning after the shootings two nurses came into the women’s room at about 7:00.  They started with Penny; she was given a basin to take a bath.  While she bathed, they moved on to the others and got them started in the process.  After they finished the bath they helped each of the women into a new gown.  Penny asked if they had any feminine napkins and something to wear them with.  She was having her period.  For the last 24 hours she had been provided a large pad to sit on, this worked but was embarrassing to her.  The nurse promised to get something for her.  They encouraged the women to fix their hair and makeup.  They knew that anything that helped them return to some semblance of normalcy was good for them.  One of the nurses returned with a sanitary napkin belt from the OB department and a pack of the napkins used by women in that area.  Penny looked at the size of the pad.  It looked almost as large as a diaper.  “For me?” she asked.

“Yes, why?  Is something wrong?”

“They are so big.”

“We don’t have anything else that you can wear without panties, and getting them over your cast is almost impossible right now.”

Penny winced.

“Put the belt down over your head to your waist.  It’ll be easier to do that then pulling it up over your leg.   I’ll help you attach the pad.”

The belt had a tab with an attachment like a garter belt on the front and back.  The nurse helped Penny slide the pad under her and attach it to the belt.  It wasn’t fantastic, but it was better than sitting on a soiled pad.

About a half-hour later the other Dr. Douglas came in.  She looked at the women’s uninjured leg carefully and probed the upper portion of the amputated leg that was visible above the cast.  Penny was surprised that the prodding didn’t cause more pain.  She realized that although she had not had a shot since midnight she was still only mildly uncomfortable.  Penny’s bed was on one side of the room; the other women were on the other side.  They were facing the center of the room.  The fourth bed was empty.  There was only an aisle between the two beds.  After doing the examination she went to the door and returned with a pair of crutches she had placed there along with what looked like the leg they had been fitted with in the operating room.  A nurse pushed a wheel chair in and parked it next to the door.