Stumbling through the dark

Tomato Red

"I'm just going to give you some oxygen, sweetheart. You need to calm that breathing down for me". The nurse placed the mask over Niall's face and adjusted the flow. "There now, try and relax for me". She bustled about Niall, covering him with a light blanket, "Now , you've had this done before  so you know what happens" She cleaned a spot on Niall's arm with an alcohol wipe then slid in the needle administering the sedative before Niall had even registered what she was doing. "You just rest and it will be all over before you know it".

Niall felt himself drifting away, vaguely aware of movement and  the talking around him. He blinked sleepily as he was lifted off the gurney and placed on a bed. "Open your mouth Niall. Just the spray at the back of your throat. Well done. Keep your mouth open for me" Niall gagged as the tube started going down his throat. He struggled to breath and gagged again . He felt he was suffocating. Then he remembered nothing more.

"Wake up, Niall. It's all finished. You did really well. Can you open your eyes for me?" Niall forced his eyes open and looked at the nurse who was checking his blood pressure and temperature. She raised the back of the bed and gave him a sippy cup " Just a few sips, sweetheart. I'll bring you a nice cup of tea a little later. She smiled at him then left him to sleep away the last of the sedative left in his body.

Niall had just finished drinking the promised tea and was wondering if he could change into his normal clothing ,and ditch the hospital gown he had been forced to wear for the endoscopy ,when the door to his room opened and his Neurologist walked in , along with Doctor Miller.

"Good afternoon, Niall" Paul Taylor greeted his young patient " how are you feeling?"

"Throat's a bit sore but that's all" Niall's voice was a little raspy "Did it go OK?" He was anxious to know.

"Your throat will feel better quite quickly, drink lots of fluids though, it helps. Now, we've had a good look at the results of your endoscopy and they are quite  pleasing. Your stomach appears to have recovered from the damage although I have to stress that it will most likely not ever go back to the way it was." He noticed Niall's puzzled look " I mean that you'll be more prone to stomach upsets and the like in the future so you'll need to be  more careful."

"But it's healed now?" Niall queried anxiously.

"You really want to know if it's healed enough, don't you?" Paul replied, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, I guess that's what I mean" Niall confirmed.

"Yes, I believe so but that doesn't mean that we can go ahead with things, Niall. You have to fully understand what is involved . You also have to be physically well enough to be able to withstand the treatment."

"But you promised" Niall said quickly.

"No, Niall, I didn't. Remember I told you I would consider trying out the new treatment but it hinged on how well you were, how good your stomach had healed and whether I felt the treatment was right for you, both physically and mentally. Niall, it's not going to be a walk in the park. As I told you then, it will be my final decision. You agreed to that." the Neurologist said firmly and Niall nodded reluctantly. He had agreed but he still had hopes he'd get the chance.

"Now Niall, the endoscopy is out of the way, let's give you a thorough going over and get that part out of the way" Doctor Miller said cheerfully. "I'll just get nurse to come in and we'll get started." He  made Niall's bed go flat then put down the hated side rails as the nurse entered the room. She wasted on time in removing all but one of Niall's pillows and pulling back his bed covers to allow the two  doctors to begin their examination. Niall hated all the poking and prodding, the examination seemingly endless. Finally, as both doctors scribbled notes on various charts, Niall's nurse, put him to rights again.