I handed her my last credit card and watched the screen on the card reader, waiting for the charge to go through.

The machine beeped and printed a long white receipt.

Nurse Gregory came out from behind the counter and handed me a thick stack of paperwork on a blue clipboard.

“Initial the bottom of every page,” Gregory said.

“Sign the last one to accept full medical responsibility.”

I took the plastic pen from the cup.

I read every line of the discharge summary.

I checked the medical codes and the dietary instructions.