Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 14 - Recovery

      I go alone when I'm called into the doctor's consultation, however Nora helps me to the door so I don't make such effort to move around. Doctor Kendrick, the same doctor that explained to me what happened and to Louise and has been around since I got in this hospital, smiles brightly when I get in and even helps me to sit down.

"How are you doing? Much trouble with the casts?"

"Getting used to them," I reply easily with a smile.

I was told that these appointments are mostly routine, just to make sure I'm doing okay and no one has hurt me as well. To check everything is in order, the stitches are healing well and I don't have any complication after the surgery for the internal bleeding.

"That's good. I hope you're taking things slowly. You know you can't move much." I nod my head because I am aware of that. I know I'm healing and if I want to do it fast, I have to be careful. "Good, then let's take a look to make sure everything is okay."

I nod my head and then follow her to lay down so she can see the stitches from the surgery and make sure everything is healing properly. It's the usual routine, the same basic scan she did the first time I came last week and the same she'll do for the following four.

At some point her hands are on my ribs, doing careful pressure but I immediately hiss in pain. She stops moving and makes this sound with her tong, clearly indicating something is wrong or unusual.

"Hm," she hums. "This isn't healing how it should be. Are you sure you're taking things slowly? You didn't go running or did some unnecessary effort?" she questions me and I shake my head because I've been careful, Nora has been even more careful.

"Everything how you said." But then I remember what happened last night with Will. I didn't give it much thought, aside from an almost accident. "Oh," I mumble. "I almost tripped last night and someone caught me. My cast got caught between us and it hurt, because he had to wrap his arm around me so he squeezed my ribs... but I didn't think much of it."

"Hm," she mumbles again, carefully examining my ribs. I try not to flinch when she presses them, but it's hard. "It's not terrible but it did some damage. With your fractured ribs, something like that can throw back a week's healing at least. I'm assuming he had to use strength to hold you, but the damage would probably be worse if he didn't do that." She helps me sit down again and looks me in the eyes. "They are just a bit bruised, to put it simply, so be extra careful that it doesn't happen again."

"Will do," I promise.

She makes me take deep breathes as she presses the stethoscope to hear my lungs to know if there's some fluid that needs to be drained, and then makes sure to hear other parts of my body. I have no idea how they must sound, but she doesn't look like there's something wrong going on.

"That's good, no more harm than to your ribs seem to have happened," she reassures me. "So keep being careful and if you have the slightest discomfort, if it's hard breathing of you feel dizzy, contact me immediately." I nod my head. "Aside from that, all going well. Next week we'll run some X-rays to see how the healing process of your broken bones is going."

"Got it," I confirm and then she smiles brightly, helping me out of the stretcher and back to the chair.

She makes more questions, whether I'm hurting or if I have trouble sleeping. I normally don't, having Nora next to me helps, and any pain is bearable, yet she gives me a new prescription just in case I cannot manage the discomfort. With my ribs after Will's catch, she told me to take some medication for the pain just so I can move more easily and without flinching. I have to admit it's been hard today, but I thought it was because the lack of sleep and the nightmare in the van.