I havent had the best of luck with my health this year and had two surgeries. The first one was earlier in spring and the second one just a couple of days ago, on the 23rd of december, this time for sinuses. I am usually a bit talkative in these kinds of situations, trying to be pleasant and easy-going, plus it helps me relax a little. I have been balding since 18, but ironically have Robin Williams-levels of hair in the rest of the body so everytime RNs pull the venoclysis I end up with bald spots from the thousands of hairs that get pulled. They always apologize, so I respond by joking with them and try to engage in friendly banter.

Anywho, I go in, the docs do their thing and I wake up in recovery. I see my recovery RN checking monitors, anotating in the laptop, asking me how I feel, do I know my name, do I know where I am, etc. I ask her what time was it, how long have I been in recovery, etc. The conversation starts going as I am getting sober.

She starts pulling the EKG electrodes and off come the chest and stomach hairs. She starts apologizing and I start joking with her, saying that it was ok and that she doesnt need to apologize and that I was overdue for my monthly waxing anyways. I ask her if she can call Anesthesia back to get topped off with propofol before she starts pulling the IV though. She chuckles but remains professional.

She walks away to help another RN with his patient that was having a bad time. She returns after a while and starts pulling the IV and I get another wax job. It is painful, and I squirm a little and she again starts apologizing. I tell her she doesn't need to apologize, she's just doing her job and that I'm being a crybaby. She's now carefully taking the tapes off, this time using alcohol pads, etc. I tell her that I appreciate trying to minimize the pain from the hair pulling.

We continue chatting about her job, how long she's been doing it (she is definitely younger than I am), etc. She asks me what I do for a living since I speak the lingo. I tell her what I do and explain that my mom was an OBGYN nurse for 27 years, so I picked up a few things here and there (I learned about the birds and the bees from her books, LOL). I tell her I know how brutal this profession is and can be, especially when you have to deal with smartasses like myself. So I thanked her for her patience and for all the work they do, especially during the initial stages of COVID. She tells me how chaotic it was. More joking and friendly banter goes back and forth. She's still pulling the tapes off, then the conversation then goes something like this:

"sorry Nurse, I dont have my glasses on, mind if I ask your name?".

She replies "my name is <name> mr <my last name>"

"well thank you Nurse <last name> you're doing a great job. Next time I need an IV pulled, I'll ask if you're available"

"oh I'll make sure you get my number, you can call me any time"

I smile at her, thinking I'm still delirious from the anesthesia (I'm not). She's done with the IV, goes to her laptop and finishes her Powercharting. She then starts closing the long curtains around the bed. She stays inside the curtains with me, and I start changing into my clothes. Now, I'm very comfortable being naked and talking "medical things" with medical professionals, so I think nothing about it. I know she's making sure I dont fall and break my neck.

I put on my sweatpants and my button-up shirt on, then she helps me put on the hoodie I wore to the hospital with great care. I do have a half my face covered in bloody gauze after all.

She pulls the curtains back after she helps me get on the wheelchair, and goes off to put her thick coat on. I ask if she's cold and says that it's cold outside. I tell her she doesn't need go all the way out, and she replies she needs to make sure I make it to the car safely.

My mom circles around with the car, my nurse wheels me next to the car and wishes me merry christmas and speedy recovery. She extends her hand to me but instead of shaking her hand, I gently take it, turn it and I gesture as if I was kissing her hand.

Now, before y'all get mad at me, I was raised in a very conservative and traditional family, where kissing the hand is a sign of respect. My parents do this to me, and I to them. In my mind I was showing my appreciation and respect. My mom yells at me saying not to get her hand bloody.

My nurse smiles gently at me, I get on the car and take off. Kinda wish I would have given her my number...

TL;DR: young, cute nurse flirted with me, I didn't give her my number. I'm a dumbass