My eyelids fly open. It's morning. I'm panicked and groggy. I feel a soft warmth on the back of my body. I look down and see that I am lying on a bed draped in bright white sheets. I hear a heart monitor beeping in-sync with my heart. I look around; I am in a hospital room. The walls are just as white as the sheets and the smell of pungent disinfectant wages over me, I gag. There is an IV in my arm connected to a large bag of clear fluids.
I feel a damp cloth dressing on my lower abdomen, strips pulling my skin stuck to my face, and a long cloth dressing down the length of the middle of my chest.
Shocked and confused by everything, I don't even notice that my best friend Matt is right next to me, sleeping with my hand close to his soft caramel cheek. His cool metal stethoscope is touching my hand but I don't mind. I sit up fast to tap him on the shoulder but end up crying out in agony.
"Oww!" I say a little too loudly. Matt is startled awake from his much-needed sleep.
"What's wrong?", he asks with fervent looking eyes. He touches my forehead with his big soft hand.
"Oh, nothing. I'm fine. I just got up a little too quickly." I say.
"No one likes a liar," he says with a forced smile. I know he can't resist taking care of me and I know I need him. After all, he is my best friend and a doctor.
"Fine, my head just hurts a little," I say, with a slight smile.
"Well, that can happen after you've had surgery to repair a cerebral brain hemorrhage, a splenectomy, and have a large shard of glass removed from your heart. I'll get something for your headache," he says.
I'm mesmerized by his bright white lab coat, I don't even hear when he asks me to sit up so that he can check my lungs and heart.
"Izzy. Can you hear me?" he asks, concerned, putting his hand on my shoulder.
"Yes." I say. He looks at me expectantly.
"Are you able to sit up for me?" he asks, softly. I sit up slowly, achingly, but he helps me. I sit waiting as he warms up his stethoscope with his breath.
" I know this can be a little cold sometimes," he explains. He puts it on my chest and listens. Then he puts his hand up the back of my gown.
"Take deep breaths for me," he says, as he moves the stethoscope over my back. He slips the stethoscope carefully from my gown and puts one finger on the inside of my wrist while looking at his watch.
"So how am I doing Dr. Matt?" I ask jokingly.
"Pretty good, actually," he says, as he takes the chart from the end of my bed, writing something down.
"I'm going to check your incisions now, okay? He lifts my gown up a little above my ribs. He lifts both of the patches to look at the stitches.
"No fluid leakage, no redness or swelling," he says to himself and writes in my chart. He puts on some baby blue-colored gloves. "Do you feel any pain when I touch here?" he asks, as he touches the edges around my stitches.
"Nope. None," I answer.
"Good. That means no infection. So I'll just re-dress these." he says, as he takes some supplies from the drawer next to me, and puts them on the bed.
He takes out a swab and tube, squeezes the tube of ointment onto the swab then onto my stitches. He then covers them with the dressing. I watch him as he throws the wrappers in the trash.
"Thanks, "I say. "So what happened to me exactly?" I ask him. He looks a little confused as I ask him the question.
"You don't remember?" he asks.
"No. Am I supposed to?" I ask alarmed.
"Well, it's not unusual for this to happen. Don't worry about it. Plus I still have to do your neuro exam." he says lightly. He must have seen the look on my face.
"Well when you were driving to pick up Suzy from daycare, a truck just rushed in front of you and cut you off; you couldn't stop," he explains. I hold my head down despondently. I look at him speechlessly.
"It's okay. You didn't see the truck. It's not your fault" he whispers into my ear, as he embraces me into a gentle hug. I cry on his shoulder knowing that I hurt someone.
"Where is she? Did my parents pick her up instead?" I began to quickly rattle off questions. "She's fine. Someone from the daycare took her to your aunt's house while you recover," he says. I begin to cry, even more, then I drift off into sleep.
I wake to his voice. "Hey. How are you doing?" he asks, with his bright white smile.
"A little better. Thanks to you." I say admiringly, with a smile.
"So is it alright if I do your exam now?" he asks.
"Yeah. It's fine." I say. He sits on the corner of my bed and takes an object that looks like a pen, out of his deep navy blue, scrubs front pocket.
"What's that?" I ask a little frightened. He presses a button on the object and shines a light on his palm.
"It's just a light, don't worry," he assures me. "Can you sit up and come a little closer for me. Follow the light please" he instructs me. As he shines the light in my eyes they start to water, so I blink. "Your eyes are starting to water, huh?" he asks.
"Yeah," I say as I giggle a little bit.
"It's okay. I know exactly how you feel," he says. He stops shining the light in my eyes and writes in my chart. "Okay now can you follow my finger?" he asks. I slowly follow his finger with my eyes. "Good," he says.
"So when can I get out of here?" I ask him.
He sighs, "Remember you just had major brain surgery, it'll be a while.
"Well, how long is a while, Matt?" I ask quivering.
"Considering all you've been through, maybe a month or two plus physical therapy," he explains. I sigh. "I know it sounds scary but we can get through this. Okay," he says.
"Well, at least I have you to help me every day," I say smiling. He takes an IV bag out of his pants pocket.
"Oh and here are the pain meds I promised," he says, smiling. I watch him as he hooks it up to my IV pole. His muscles glow in the lemon-colored light in my room. "Well there you go, this should help," he says.
"Thanks," I say appreciatively.
"I'll come to check on you later today, okay?" he tells me.
"Okay," I say, with a little too much thrill. As the day goes on I feel helpless and alone. Matt hasn't stopped by since this afternoon.
"Hey there!" an ecstatic voice calls out. To my surprise I turn to see my friend Thea, her long brunette hair pulled into a ponytail to show her beautiful face.
"That doctor friend of yours, Matt, right?" she asks.
"Yeah. That's him." I answer.
"Well he is absolutely adorable," she says with a smile.
"Well, that's Matt," I say.
"I wish I was the one in your position right now. He looks so strong," she says admiringly.
"Um-hmm," I say totally oblivious to what she just said. I hear Matt's voice in the hallway then everything goes black. My body starts to thrash and jerk.
"Help!" I hear Thea yell, into the hallway, I hear footsteps, then Matt tells a nurse to push .5 ml of diazepam, while he holds me down, turns me on my side, and suctions my mouth. After, I slip into a void of unconsciousness.
YOU ARE READING
I'm Here for You, Always
Любовные романыA girl who doesn't think she can be loved and a guy who has so much love to give.
