It was his bitter tone that caused a pause, as if she were thinking of coming back later, but his voice came again.  It was only because of his attempt at conversation that she seemed to relax a bit, coming within after the door was shut behind her.  Given it was getting late, she was surprised to see no aide or dinner tray within the room, but he surely had eaten, right?  Coming to his bed side, one hip sank to sit on a hollow near his hip as the blood pressure cuff was extracted from her pocket.  His question came when her attention was focused on finding a spot where it would not cause him undue pain to get her vitals.

Slowly, her eyes lifted a bit before she smirked a bit.   "Well, given I heard that you're a bit stubborn, not long.  It all depends on when they feel safe taking you home, honestly.   Once you heal from this initial stay, you could request to head home if you're wanting to get back quickly.  A lot of guys do."  Finally, his muscular upper arm was chosen as she wrapped it with her device, taking her stethoscope to put it in her ears.  "Little cold, okay?"

Once his pulse was found, the pressure came as quick as it went, the hissing of air deflating soon enough followed by the velcro being extracted from his flesh.  The opposite hand soon enough got a finger taken for oxygen saturation and pulse, even as the thermometer was put beneath his tongue - all while writing down values.

"You're welcome," was finally said in response to his thanking her.  "You know, it's not weakness to ask for help.  The girls will do whatever it is you need, we don't mind."  Once she had her readings, the probe cover was ejected into the trash and both tools were put into her pockets. 

"Now, you're going to get used to me being a mother hen one way or another.  That means two things - either myself or one of the aides needs to wash you up because I'm refusing to fight with a UTI, and I'm going to harp on you to eat.  I know you're a tough guy and don't like to be fed, but I can go down to the caf and get you something better than the junk they're getting you as long as it's calories and a buffer between your stomach and a bleed from your medicine.  Deal?"

Those pale eyes went to the television, then she leaned over him a bit to bring the remote closer to his casted arm so he could change the channel himself.  It was both good for his independence and, she hoped, a distraction from her maternal drive to see her patients well cared for.