Bedtime-Story
For the Busy Business-Parent
Whimsical Bedtime Stories for Children of All Ages
http://www.bedtime-story.com/bedtime-story
Courtesy of Home Office Mall
Gwendolyn and Bear
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Gwendolyn was a little girl who was almost 8 years old. She lived in the city with her mommy and daddy and had a toy teddy bear named, simply, Bear. Bear was her favorite toy in the whole world and Sunday was her favorite day of the week because every Sunday, Gwen, her mommy and daddy would get up VERY early and drive out to the country! |
| Gwendolyn loved the way the sun warmed her face and how the wind raced through her hair when she was in the car! There were rolling hills covered with wild flowers and lots of trees, just perfect for climbing. Here, in this secret, magical, place Gwen and Bear would spend their day climbing trees, chasing butterflies and picking beautiful flowers in every color of the rainbow. |   |
| In fact, when Gwen’s mom went into her room to gently wake her little “sleepy-head”, poor Gwen was wide awake, lying in her bed hugging Bear, and she had tears in her eyes! |  |
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Gwyn tried to speak, but her voice, usually loud and bubbly and wonderful, was just a whisper now. “Oh mommy!” she squeaked, “it feels like there’s a fire in my throat, and I can barely speak!” |
Quickly, mommy helped Gwyn dress and daddy drove them to the doctor. The kind doctor took Gwyn’s temperature and using a special light, looked down her throat. Then, he looked at Gwyn’s parents and told them, “It’s not serious, but those tonsils will have to come out.”
Then, looking at Gwyn, he said,”Well now, it looks as if your tonsils aren’t well. Once they’re gone, you’ll be good as new. And, you can have all the ice cream you like, once they come out.”
| Gwyn held up Bear and said,” Doctor, Bear isn’t
feeling well either. You see, his throat hurts too. Can you help him?” “Of course,” the doctor replied with a warm smile,”let’s just take a look.” With that, the doctor felt Bear’s neck and looked at his throat. |
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“Well, it looks as if Bear also needs to have his
tonsils removed. I'll make sure that the hospital puts you both in the
same room; if that’s o.k. with you, Gwyn.”
| “Oh yes,” squeaked Gwyn,”Bear
isn’t as brave as I am. I think he will feel better if we can
be together.” The doctor gently helped Gwyn down from the table. Then he told Gwyn’s parents to drive her over to the hospital, and he would call the hospital and take care of all the details. |
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The nurses greeted Gwyn with warm smiles
and cheerful voices. Gwyn could not believe her eyes when she saw
the room she was going to be in: it had the most beautiful pictures
of trees and rolling hills and wild flowers on the walls. “Oh mommy,” she whispered, “It’s as if we’re in the country! I can almost feel the sun on my face and I think I can smell the wild flowers!” |
The nurses smiled. They had hoped this room would help Gwyn to relax and not be too frightened, and it had worked! Once Gwyn was settled in, the doctor came to talk to her and her parents about what was going to happen.
| “Why, dear Gwyn, taking out your tonsils will be so easy and so fast, I bet I could do it with my eyes shut tight! But, I’ll keep them open if you like!” said the doctor, with a chuckle and a wink. |  |
“Oh, thank you doctor, said Gwyn, sounding a little relieved. “I wouldn’t mind, but it might make Bear a little nervous.” Once the doctor left the room, it was time to take Gwyn down to the operating room.
| The nurses put Gwyn on a bed with wheels and, with Mommy and Daddy with her, and they headed down the hall. Daddy noticed that Gwyn was hugging Bear very, very tightly. |  |
| “Sweetheart,” he said softly, “You are a very brave little girl. I want you to know that it’s o.k. to feel nervous or even a little frightened. Even grown-ups sometimes are a little nervous when they are in a hospital. Just remember that people come to hospitals to get better and everyone here is helping make you well.” |  |
| “Bear too?” asked Gwyn. “Bear too,” answered Daddy. |  |
When they arrived at the doors to the operating room, the nurse told Gwyn that Mommy and Daddy could not come in the operating room, but they would be in her room when she woke up. Mommy bent over and gave Gwyn a kiss.
As Daddy went to do the same, Gwyn gave him a little hug and said, ”thank you.” With that, she gave Bear a little kiss and off she went through the big doors where the doctor was waiting. When Gwyn opened her eyes, she was back in her hospital room and Mommy and Daddy were sitting by her side. Tucked in bed next to her was Bear, with a tiny bandage on his little neck. Gwyn looked at everyone and smiled. Mommy and Daddy were here when she woke up, just like they promised. Soon the doctor came in to check on his favorite patients! And he had two enormous bowls of icecream in his hands!
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“Gwyn, I had these bowls of icecream made just for you and Bear. They have some of every flavor we had in the lunchroom!” said the doctor. Gwyn sat up and slowly put a spoonful of icecream in her mouth. It was the best she had ever tasted! Mommy asked, ”Would you like me to give Bear his icecream?” Gwyn replied, in a whisper,”Bear is still sleeping and I don’t think he will wake before it melts, so I’ll eat it for him. |
That way, it won’t go to waste!” Everyone laughed. That night, Mommy and Daddy tucked Gwyn in and said goodnight. The doctor said she could go home tomorrow! Although she was excited about going home to her room and all her toys, she was going to miss all the wonderful people she got to know at the hospital. She would never be afraid to go to the hospital again. And neither would Bear.
Gwedolyn & Bear - By Donna Imprevento - Copyright 1999
About the Author: About the Author: About the Author - Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Imprevento lives in Suffolk, Virginia with her husband Mike, daughter Alyssa, age 9, three dogs, four hamsters and assorted gold fish. Donna works as a full-charge bookkeeper for a travel agency. She composed her first children's story while on line in the supermarket, in an attempt to keep Alyssa entertained. You may write to Donna at mdaimprevento@worldnet.att.net.
About the Illustrator:
Interim Illustrations Courtesy of Jeff Meyers and The JEFFWORKS
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The metal thingamajiggy in the VERY BIG pictures we've linked to above is the doodad that holds your mouth open so the doctor can see what he's doing (and so that you don't accidentally bite his finger) The clear thing is just the breathing tube, and the long thing on the left is the little flashlight. |
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