A Better Life

Everything is calming down

I must have fallen asleep, because when I open my eyes again, the room has quieted down and most of the people have dispersed.

"I'm glad to see you're awake".

I slowly move my head to the sound of the voice, seeing Doctor Calum writing something down at the foot of the bed.

"We've taken you to get some scans and x-rays done and we did bloodwork, of which we're just waiting for the results. Our orthopaedic doctor is on his way to look at your knee."

I try to obtain all the information, slowly remembering everything in bits and pieces.

"Do you know where you are?"

I slightly nod my head, looking around the room.

"The hospital"

"Do you know what year it is?"

"Uhmm, 2023?" I say uncertainly.

"Yeah, that's correct" he smiles towards me then writes something down again.

He walks to a machine at the side of the bed, checking something on it, before turning to me. 

"It looks like all the fluid is out of your lungs, so I want to remove the chest tube, before Michael comes."

He moves to the side of the room, gathering a few instruments, before coming back to me. "I'm going to need your help with this, though."

"What do you need me to do?" I question shocked. 

How could I possibly help a qualified doctor with his job that he studied for, for no less than 8 years?

"You don't have to worry, it's nothing difficult. For me to remove the tube, I need you to hold your breath for as long as you can. Your lungs are a bit weak though, so if you start to struggle just hum something, like a tune or a song, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try."

"I'm just going to give you a numbing shot first." He informs me, making me all the more scared for this procedure. 

After quickly injecting the numbing shot, we wait for a while and then he snaps gloves onto his hands and moves closer to the tube.

"Okay, take a deep breath in... and hold it for me, please." 

I do as he says and then I feel some horrible pressure as he starts to remove it. My hand goes to his, wanting to do something about this horrible uncomfortableness.

"You can keep holding my hand, if it makes you feel more in control over what we are doing." He assures me, and I'm glad he's not scolding me or telling me that I'm interfering with his job. 

A few second later the tube is entirely removed.

"You can breathe again."

I release my breath, not knowing how divers can go five minutes without a bit of oxygen.

"I'm just going to stitch you up and then we're done."

There is short moment of silence, where he's doing stitches and I'm trying to ignore the tugging feeling when he speaks.  

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Kinda? I don't remember much. We were at a party and then we were heading home. Something about Macy's mom and then we were trying to hide the – " I stop talking not wanting to admit what we were trying to hide, to a doctor.

"What were you trying to hide?"

"Nothing, just forget about it" I say, turning my head, so I won't look into his eyes anymore and feel guilty.