Lungs

Chapter 01:

When I was little my parents couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, it started with the little things. I constantly swallowed what I coughed up persistently. Thick, sticky mucus (Sputum.) it clogs up airways. There was nothing the doctors could do. CF is something your born with through your genetics, not something you develop. 80% of patients who get new lungs survive a year. It's a leap of faith. Over 50% of patients are alive after five years. Lungs are donations to be thankful for, a miracle. I don't know if I'd want them, I don't want to face death after a year or five years. I want to live. They won't mean anything if I die. Maybe I'd take them if it came around.. but I don't know. I haven't thought about it.. that much.

Ever since it was confirmed I had Cystic Fibrosis my life became Hospital carts from Flora and constantly having to shove the pills down my throat, then do special treatment to cough up some of the mucus, everyday. All the time something terrible went wrong and I had to go under surgery my best friend Kyle, whom I've known since we were little kids, was always there for me. Always. He'd always drop any plans he had just to be there for me, he put his social life outside of visiting to a pause. I couldn't help but feel special. He sang to me 'Don't stop believing' by Journey before all of my surgery's... every single time and it never got old for me, it still hasn't. I'm back at the hospital again, I had been released and had plans with Kyle to go Skydiving but I got sick again, like I always do.

I walked in the hospital and the first thing I was greeted with made me feel just a little bit better.

"Back so soon, Audrey? I may love you but girl, you need to stop getting sick all the time," My nurse Linn say's jokingly.

"Well, you know how much I love the hospital, Linn." I say jokingly, she cackles. Don't get me wrong, I don't love the hospital but I love the people. Specifically the nurses.

"Okay now, settle down firecracker." Linn say's smiling and I smile too, as she heads me to my hospital room.

I've been here so many times that all my drawings are still hanging on the walls from last time I was here. She leaves and Flora comes with my medication cart.
"Thank you, I missed you so much," and I mean it. I've been here so much that I know these nurses and consider them family.

"I've missed you too but for gods sake, stop getting so sick!" She says smiling at me. Afterwords she does her basic checkup to make sure I'm okay minus my CF.

"Does Kyle know your here yet?" Flora asks knowing he's my best friend.

"No, why?" I say biting my lip softly. I haven't told him because I don't want him to worry and drop everything for me. I love him being my visitor but I don't want him constantly putting his life on hold.

"He's here, I figured he told you." She say's looking at me like a friend would.

"Is he sick?" I ask worryingly.

"No, he's just visiting another patient. You should tell him your here in case he wants to be your visitor again." She say's looking at me. Flora can tell I'm developing feelings for him, my face gets slightly hot talking about him. I know he's my best friend. Which is also why he doesn't know I love him. What am I supposed to say? 'Hey Kyle, I have feelings for you.' It just sounds so stupid and unoriginal to say. There's also a big part of me that's also terrified.

I stop bitting my lips and look down at my phone.
"Your right, I'll tell him. What room is he visiting?" I ask, still looking at my phone blankly.

"Room 103, I'll be back tomorrow. Don't forgot to take your pills." Flora say's winking, she's an adult. She's not a lesbian. Let alone a Pedophilia. It's one of those winks close friends give you jokingly. We're cool that way. She winks because she knows I always take my medication and treatments.

I walk outside my room after putting my mask on to try to not spread my bacteria or catch anyone else's and hastily walk down to room 103, What I do next is not appropriate at all. In fact it's an invasion of privacy.  I spy on Kyle, my best friend.