Betrayed

Surgery

Remi and I were at the hospital for 7 as I had been instructed by the preadmission nurse over the phone. I was fasting and quickly developing a headache from the lack of caffeine in my system. As a show of solidarity, Remi was also fasting and going without his coffee. The nurse weighed and measured me then instructed me to change into a hospital gown before proceeding with a pre-op questionnaire. She ran some blood work, installed an IV into my left hand, brought me a warm blanket and told me that the doctor and anesthesiologist would be in to see me before wheeling me over to surgery.

Doctor Helm knocked on the door and introduced himself to Remi. Before turning his attention to me.

"How are you feeling this morning, Miss Saunders?" he asked politely.

"Nervous"

"I can imagine, but rest assured you are in good hands. Did you have any questions for me this morning?"

"No, I'm good," I said as I glanced at Remi who looked as nervous as I felt.

"Alright, so what I'm going to do is put my initials on the side we are going to take out the nodule, just to make sure we have the right side before heading in okay?" He approached me with a sharpie and made some markings on my neck. "Now we wait for the anesthetist and then we can get started ok?" I nodded and he left without ceremony.

"You okay babe?" Remi asked, reaching for my hand.

"I am, what about you?" I said with a smile.

"I'm pretty nervous, I worry about you Harper"

"I know you do, but you heard the doc, I'm in good hands" I said, trying to reassure him.

The anesthetist came by and asked about allergies and any health problems. He explained his role in the surgery using medical jargon then left. The nurses came to escort me down to the operating room and Remi kissed me before I left. The nurses were all dressed in gowns, masks and surgical caps and were running around the room setting it up. One of the nurses introduced me to the team and I promptly forgot all of their names. I settled on the operating table, while being positioned with pillows and having a blood pressure cuff installed on my right arm. The anesthetist returned and placed my arms the way he wanted and far too soon a mask was placed over my face. I became drowsy and my eyelids got heavier before I fell into an abyss of dark nothingness. It seemed only seconds later I became very much aware of a splitting headache.

"Harper, take some deep breaths" someone called out. I inhaled sharply and held my breath. I wasn't able to open my eyes and I was unsure where I was. "Breath Harper" I heard as loud alarms were going off all around me. Someone rubbed my chest hard and I cried out in pain. "There you go, deep breaths Harper, you're out of surgery and you are in the recovery room now. How are you feeling"

"My head hurts" I whined.

"Are you a coffee drinker Harper?" a nurse asked. I had to think about this for a moment.

"Yeah"

"That's probably why you have a headache, do you want to eat a popsicle?" she asked.

"Sure..." I croaked, but I had no desire to eat anything, I just wanted to get rid of that annoying headache.

"Harper take a deep breath" I heard the nurse say again. My head snapped up and I looked around. I wasn't worried about my breathing, so I didn't really know why they were. I was holding an orange popsicle in my right hand which I brought to my mouth. I took a tentative bite and my eyes shut again and I felt my head fall forward.

"Harper" a nurse called and rubbed my sternum again.

"Owww" I whined.

"Deep breaths dear" she repeated, taking my popsicle from me.