Sick Girl

~ 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝒽𝑒𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 ~

 The beeping and whirring of machines interrupted my dream of crossing the rickety old bridge that hung from frayed ropes across a large and daunting chasm. Every time I'm in the dream, something is chasing me. I don't know what it is, but it forces me across the bridge. Although  I always fall, I get a little farther toward freedom each time. This attempt, I made it one-forth of the way across. Just as I disappear into the mist that conceals the bottom, I awake. 

My eyes fluttered slightly, but that seemed to take all of my energy. I waited a few minutes, slowly regaining some strength. I forced my eyes open, ignoring my internal protests. I was greeted by the worried eyes of my mother and father. "Hey Princess. How are you feeling?" My Dad asks, using the old nickname he called me when I was five. I tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea crashed into me, causing me to slump against the white pillow at an awkward angle. Mom cautiously helped me get to a sitting position. "Here Sam. Have some water" Mom offered. I gladly accepted. As I drank, I inspected my surroundings. The plain, white walls blended into the white floors and ceiling. A few sad-looking blue chairs, where Kiera, Zach, and Alex were sleeping peacefully, were placed along the walls and the two Mom and Dad were occupying were surrounding the bed I reside in. A small, wooden side table was shoved against the bed. Upon it sat an old lamp and a clock that read 1:23 a.m. Next to the wall on the other side of the bed, was a cart that was home to multiple machines and monitors which communicated through cords that attached to my chest and arm.

"Where am I?" I ask. Mom gives me an explanation of how I passed out yesterday afternoon and have been asleep since. The ruckus awakened Alex who is a very light sleeper. In fact, I am surprised he was able to sleep at all. When Alex sees that I am sitting up, he hurriedly shakes Zack and Kiera to wake them up. Alex rushes to my side and the other two follow as they get lucid. I am attacked with a bombardment of questions and concerns. "Alright guys! I'm fine!" Before they can reply, a female doctor in a white lab coat followed by two assistants in blue scrubs walk into the room.

"Hey Sam! My name is Dr. McLeish. How are you feeling? Jordan please check vitals." The lanky girl on the doctors left obeys and begins to fill out the chart that was placed in the hanging pocket at the end of the bed. "Hi. I'm feeling fantastic. Can I go home soon?" I reply. I feel perfectly normal and wish to go the familiarity and warm comfort of home. Everyone looks at the doctor expectantly. "Not quite yet. We still have to run some more tests. We are just checking for anything abnormal. Can you tell me if you have felt different lately?" I respond cautiously, "Well.. I have had some headaches and dizziness, but that is just normal teen hormones right?" "We'll see" and "maybe" were the only replies I could get out of her. 

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That morning, at approximately 7:30 according to the clock, I was brought to the MRI machine to do a complete scan.  It took forever and just when I thought I couldn't take it any more, it was over. The bed pulled out of the hollowed cylinder with my ears still crying at the endurance of bangs I heard in the scanner. The nurse then led me and Dad back to my room where everyone else was waiting. The rest of the day was filled with more uncomfortable tests and procedures like blood drawing, scans and monitors. New machines came and went from the room along with numerous doctors.

 Kiera, Alex, and Zach kept my mind busy with board games, puzzles, and homework Mom had picked up when she made a quick run back to the house to feed Mittens. The day came to a close and Kiera's Mom came to pick her up as she dropped off a lovely bouquet of pink flowers that now live on the tiny bed-side table. Zach's Dad came and drove Zach and Alex, who would be staying at their house so Mom and Dad could stay with me. My friends promised to retrieve all of the homework I would get assigned at school tomorrow which is Monday. 

When Mom left to buy dinner from the hospital cafeteria, I dived to my worries. Dad noticed I was upset because I started to bite my fingernails again. A man in scrubs came to take my vitals again. Dad tried to console me by saying "Sam. Its going to be okay. You are going to be okay.", but it seemed as if he was trying to confirm this to himself as well. Mom returned with ham and cheese sandwiches she found and we all ate gratefully. Soon, we all settled into our beds to sleep. Mom had gotten the blowup air mattress and bedding from home for Dad and herself. By 9 p.m., the Johnson family was asleep.