The motorcycle patrolman was rushed to the hospital late one night with sharp abdominal pain that wouldn’t ease. Doctors quickly diagnosed an inflamed appendix and told him surgery was necessary. Everything moved fast. The operation went smoothly, and when he woke up, the medical team assured him that the procedure had gone perfectly. He was relieved, groggy, and grateful to be alive, believing the worst was behind him.
But as the hours passed, something didn’t feel right. While lying in his hospital bed, he kept sensing a strange tugging feeling at the hairs on his chest. It wasn’t painful, just unsettling — like something was constantly pulling, then stopping, then pulling again. At first, he assumed it was nerves or lingering anesthesia, but the sensation refused to go away.
The more he focused on it, the more anxious he became. His mind began racing. What if the doctors had done something else during surgery and hadn’t told him? What if there had been complications? He imagined hidden stitches, tubes, or even another operation he hadn’t consented to. By morning, the worry had grown unbearable.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, he called a nurse and explained the strange pulling feeling. She listened calmly, nodded, and told him she would check with the doctor. A few minutes later, the surgeon walked in, suppressing a smile as he examined the patient and glanced down at his chest.
The doctor gently reached over, leaned in closer, and carefully removed the small piece of paper clipped to the patrolman’s hospital gown. Written on it in bold letters were the words: “Get well soon.” The clip holding the note had been tugging at his chest hair every time he moved.
The patrolman stared for a second — then burst out laughing. All the fear, stress, and sleepless worry vanished instantly. The doctor chuckled, the nurse shook her head, and the room filled with relief and laughter. Sometimes, the scariest feelings come from the smallest misunderstandings — and sometimes, the cure is simply knowing the truth.
