Reflection 13: Part Two -- From Twin to Guardian Angel

In Part 1, I explain how it is that you have this very noticeable feeling that you have met the stranger in a room before, but cannot remember where or under what circumstances. In fact, you have: in another dimension. If you take the time to get to know the individual, you will discover that many of your likes and dislikes are either very similar or the same. You have the same preference for particular colours, same type of food, music, musical instruments and so on. 

In this Part, I will describe how my twin turned into my guardian angel following my surgery.

After my 9-hour operation, it is easily understood that I was enveloped inside a heavy fog of antiseptics and other drugs for a long time in order to ease my pain and bring me back to reality.

In this fog I first saw my angel in the very early morning hours of what I now calculate to be Saturday. Perhaps it was 4 or 4:30 a.m. I really don't know. The ward was still. I suspect that most if not all of the inpatients were sleeping. No staff were out and about. The lighting was minimal; only bright enough so that people could come and go in safety. I was not sure if I was looking at reality or not. Minds do tricks on you when you are coming out of sedation.  

When I was able to focus a little better, I saw my angel in the fog. The apparition was just inside my room, not far from the end of the bed. She wore red Nike running shoes, grey coloured jeans, a spring top coat and held a vase with flowers, 3 lovely carnations. On the vase was a yellow ribbon. I particularly recall the ribbon for reasons I still don't understand. She is Asian, perhaps from Malaysia with brown eyes and about 50 plus years old. A little grey throughout her hair. She wore her black hair short, off of her shoulders. She smiled. (Now dear reader, you didn't expect my angel to be dressed in a long flowing white gown, have wings and long hair as they are painted in the Pre-Raphaelite School or John Waterhouse's Ophelia, now did you?)

"Hi. How are you feeling? I was here two hours ago, but you were still sleeping."

I said nothing. I wanted to but my throat was so sore!

"Please don't try to talk. Your throat will be very tender for a couple of days because of the tubes that they had down your throat for so long."

At that time a nursing staff came in and checked my IV, take my glucose reading and blood pressure. Neither my angel nor the nursing staff acknowledged each other. At the time I could not figure out why.

"I'll be with you until we leave this place. I will keep you company, encourage you and tend to your emotional and physical needs. Doctors and health care workers will come and go. But I will say."

I nodded.

"See that reclining chair in the corner?"

I did.

"That is where I will sleep."

She did. My angel was with me all of Saturday, Sunday and most of Monday until the time the doctor released me. 

She was such a comfort by simply being with me. She encouraging me, hugged me when I needed a hug, discussed my fears when I needed to discuss them, made sure I ate when I had no appetite and gave me a sponge bath. My angel was more than an angel. She was my Guardian Angel.

Thinking about it now, I truly don't know how I would have made it without her.