She needed doctors allowed to do their work.

She needed people whose authority did not belong to the Vance family.

She squeezed my hand and drifted back to sleep.

I remained there long enough for the nurse to bring me a cup of water I had forgotten to ask for.

“Have you eaten?” she said.

“I don’t know.”

She gave me a packet of crackers.

I ate one because refusing it would have required more strength than opening it.