The Flames of Medicine

28

*Paresthesia: a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet, but can also occur in other parts of the body.

*mentions of self-harm*

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Lukes POV:

"LUKE!" Calum screams as he runs into my room picking up my lamp off the floor as he tries to get to me.

"i'm okay... i'm okay" I hiss out as Calum kneels next to me, and I try to normalize my breathing to calm the pain and panic rising within me.

"Luke, what the fuck are you thinking!"

"I just wanted to get my phone." I say dead pan and frustrated at myself, and a little concerned that the pain in my spine was still lingering and wasn't subsiding.

"then you fucking yell for me." sighs, " Where does it hurt?" He says as he runs his hand down my leg making sure I didn't fracture or hurt anything out of place.

"you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you up."

"Luke..." *sighs* "seriously? Just because I was sleeping? Mate you can still call for me."

"I didn't want to wake you. You were tired when you got home and I just don't want to be a burden anymore and I got up fine to the wheelchair, and just got tempted to... to go for my phone a few steps away, or crawling..." I close my eyes cuz the discomfort is getting worse.

"Luke. You wake me up. And how many times do we have to say you're not a burden. You're never a burden so stop thinking and saying that or lord help me I will throw you off your bed myself."

I smile a little trying to hide the tears that I felt were starting to form. Frustration and embarrassment and pain now emerging through my legs is just what I needed.

Great.

Maybe I can take my pain med - nope. I took it 2 hours ago, still have 2 hours to go for my next dose.

I try sitting up without showing much pain so Calum go back to sleep and I can be left alone.

"Luke. You're in pain. Where does it hurt?" He says as he helps hold my back as so I don't exert myself more than I probably shouldn't have.

I sigh. "I think I hit a nerve or something. I feel pain but my spine is warm and numb and my legs are all ant-feeling"

"Damn it Hemmings. Okay. Do you have any feeling or is it numb all around?" He moves over my knee where my surgery is to check my calf to see if I felt anything.

"mm.mm. can't feel anything..." I hiss.

He helped me maneuver and sit against my bed frame with my legs extended so we can see how to best get me up without upsetting my spine anymore.

ping!

Fucking phone. I glare at it pissed off.

Calum laughs as he gets up and reaches it handing it over to me. "Here. Now please just next time yell for me. This would've been a lot easier if you had."

I mopingly nod my head agreeing. "thanks Cal." I throw it up on my bed for later.

"I don't feel any out of place bones or fractures or nerve damage from physical touch. Can you please tell me, honestly, what it is you're feeling or what's hurting so I know if I have to call Michael or if I can sit you in bed? please? and I promise, I'm not mad -- well maybe a little, but that's just cuz you're stubborn, but I'm worried about you sitting here on the floor not feeling anything but pain and numbness. So what are you feeling Luke?"