During my two-week stay in the hospital, silence became my closest companion.

My children lived in different cities, hours away. My friends meant well, but their lives were busy, full of responsibilities I no longer had the energy to juggle. Visiting hours came and went, often without a single familiar face. Each day stretched endlessly, marked only by the soft beeping of machines, the rustle of curtains, and the quiet footsteps of nurses changing shifts.

I tried to stay optimistic. I reminded myself that this was temporary, that healing required patience. But loneliness has a way of creeping in when the lights dim, when conversations fade, and when you’re left alone with your thoughts in the middle of the night. It didn’t announce itself loudly. It simply settled beside me, heavy and persistent.

Every night, though, there was one constant.

A nurse would come by late in the evening, just before the ward fell completely silent. He spoke softly, never rushed. He asked how I was feeling, adjusted my blanket, checked the monitors, and always left me with a few gentle words.