An Adventure with Danny on the Graveyard Shift

January 22nd, 2011 by Conor

Last night I got by far the most sleep that I have gotten thus far. I went to bed at 1 AM and didn’t wake up until this afternoon around 4PM. I knew I was doomed. That was way too much sleep to even consider the possibility of getting to bed at any reasonable time. There wasn’t much I could do about it at that point so I headed to the hospital anticipating an all-nighter regardless of whether it was in Danny’s room or not.

I didn’t make it into the room until about 8:30 or 9. I found out that Danny would be having a baby sitter for the night this evening which was and Is LAME to say the least. We are paying this guy to sit in the corner. WHY? Because the doctor said he needs to be watched 24 hours a day…. hmmmmm I thought we were doing this pretty well until the other night when a certain nurse thought Danny would be better off without us– more to come on this at a later date when Danny’s health isn’t jeopardized by a rant on health care.

Needless to say Danny has a babysitter that informs me he is making $26 dollars an hour to color in a book 10 feet away from where I currently am writing this. In case you were wondering, I have a much better view of what is going on than Danny, someone tell me how that makes any sense. I wonder what the hospital bills him out to us at… Ahh healthcare I love you. Sorry, I said I wasn’t going to rant. I will stop.

So, I get into the room and I’m hanging out with Michelle and she starts to pack up her stuff at about quarter to 12. I ask where she is going and she informs me that she is heading out because she doesn’t enjoy the interaction when there is some random person in the room. I can’t really blame her, however, the interaction for me isn’t all that different so I don’t really mind, I just find the reasoning for his presence annoying as I have mentioned.

Michelle headed out, and there were three: Me, Danny and Guy. I know his name, but “Guy” is far more appropriate because no one, I mean no one, likes being called Guy. It just doesn’t get much more impersonal than that, and I feel that this guy is welcome in my life about as much as any Guy would be. So Guy and I are sitting here in total silence watching Danny in an effort to out do each other with “who is going to tell Danny that he can’t lie on his right side first” contest. I guess I am selfishly trying to beat him at this game, just as a reminder to him how much he is being overpaid to color.

Eventually, Danny wakes up from a long 2 hour or so nap. He stares around the room and looks very bored. I keep looking over waiting for any way I can help. Finally I suggest that maybe we move his room around. The next time Cindy comes in I tell her that we should go ahead and move the bed. She had suggested it earlier in the night and I tell her we mine as well go for it. Danny is in no mood to request it but I’m sure the rearrangement can’t hurt.

Danny doesn’t seem quite as excited as I was thinking he might be with his new view of the star-like skyline of Great Falls, Montana. I guess I shouldn’t have expected him to be excited. It really isn’t that exciting.

A little more time passes and I make eye contact with Danny again. He does a quick look over his head to confirm what he already knew. Guy has left the room. He proceeds to rip a steady constant 5 on the fart scale. Noticeable, but not too powerful. It was a solid 2 second fart and he kept a very serious an unchanged look on his face while he ripped it. When he finished his whole face turned and he gave me the biggest smile I had seen yet. It was a classic Danny I know that was funny, you should laugh look. And I did. It was great! I laughed so hard that he actually smiled a second big smile again at how big my laugh was.

The laughter wore off and the room became quiet again. I sat there doing my thing again for another 10 minutes when finally Danny knocked on his bed to get my attention. He motioned for me to come over. Nothing like this had happened to me yet so it kind of caught me off guard. I approached and pulled up a chair. I asked a lot of questions to see what was up before I finally realized that he just wanted some company- someone to hang out with. Unfortunately, as I mentioned once before, I can’t exactly sit there in dead silence like Michelle can so I suggested we watch a movie.

While “Pay it Forward” was loading I pulled up another browser and showed Danny a clip of our friend Nicki at the Dew Tour. She said that she was riding this weekend for Danny, that put a huge smile on his face. When the video ended he moved the mouse up to the search bar and typed in “Where is MP?” I immediately called her up because I knew that this was one of the girlfriendy moments that girls dream of. “Michelle your presence is requested in room 5109. Danny is looking for a snuggle buddy.” Michelle could barely speak but said something about being right there. I’m not sure if she was fully dressed or what, but it seemed to me that she made it to the ICU room from the hotel in about the time it takes just to walk here. So she either ran, or was fully clothed waiting for the call.

In the short time that it took her to get from the hotel to the room I opened up a Word document because I thought that maybe Danny would rather type than talk. Although I can now read about 10 different versions of his head nod yes and a shake of no, it still doesn’t give me much of an idea of what he is really thinking. Even though I have never before chatted with a person through a computer that was 2 feet away from me it was a pretty cool feeling. I was communicating with my brother much more than I had up to that point. Neither of us looked at each other from the time the phone call was made till the time that Michelle showed up. Even when she did show up the conversation continued for a little bit.

Here is what transpired.

So, I accidently found myself on the graveyard shift again. Didn’t see it coming but sure enough it’s back. Things are different now though. Danny’s bed has turned 90 degrees and is now facing the window, Danny and Michelle are snuggling 10 feet away from me, and we have Guy. Oh Guy, how we love to overpay you.

That’s it for now. Who know’s what’s in store for tomorrow. Another night down on the Graveyard shift. Another adventure with Danny.

Love ya dude.

~Conor

8 Responses to “An Adventure with Danny on the Graveyard Shift”

  1. David Soroka Says:

    Nothing like a fart to always lighten up the mood

  2. kate Says:

    <3

  3. kate Says:

    sorryk, i forgot that this program doesn’t make the cute little hearts facebook does…i was just sending you all love…all the progress is awesome…Danny is so fortunate to have a brother like you, Conor and Michelle!!!

  4. Tay Wroblewski Says:

    Ahahah professional backpackers, count me in!

  5. Slim and Alexa Kimberley-Bryant Says:

    Awesome job boys!!!! You’re doing great.

  6. Carol Says:

    Let’s get rid of Guy!!!!!

  7. Polly Allyn Says:

    Conor…what a great story. Every sibling should have a Conor in their life….keep up the incredible energy and creativeness with Danny. Love you, Polly

  8. Darlene Bailey Says:

    Lets get rid of Guy, you all do a better job. Conor everone should have a brother like you! You all are doing a great job!

    Keep up the great Job,
    Thinking of you all everyday
    Darlene

Leave a Reply