YOURS, JANNAH

#TEN

"And do you know what I've found out? That we can get him here without telling him much about her situation." Dr. Abdussalam announced, surfing through some papers in front of him critically with his bifocals right atop his nose.

Hajiya Maimuna sat up, leaning closer to his desk. She's already called Adnan to come back to Nigeria that his wife is not alright, he is coming back in ten hours. They are prepping themselves on what to say so their entire story can turn out well. Jannah is currently lying down on a hospital bed playing with her daughter and Aisha is there with her too.

Dr. Abdussalam asked to see her privately and so here she is. "What is it? Stop talking in riddles and just talk."

He narrowed his eyes at her but went on. "There is this amnesia that is caused by stress. Post-traumatic amnesia —PTA. Most people hospitalized for a traumatic brain injury experience post-traumatic amnesia according to research. PTA may occur after a period of unconsciousness. You're awake, but you may behave and speak in a bizarre manner that's not like yourself. You may not be able to remember events from minutes or hours ago.

"The length of time that PTA lasts may indicate the severity of the brain injury. And there is Severe trauma or stress which can also cause dissociative amnesia. With this condition, your mind rejects thoughts, feelings, or information that you're too overwhelmed to handle. A specific type of dissociative amnesia called dissociative fugue can lead to unexpected traveling or wandering. It can also lead to amnesia around the circumstances of traveling as well as forgetting other details of your life.

"When you have dissociative amnesia, you have difficulty remembering important information about yourself, such as your name, personal history, or family and friends. Dissociative amnesia may be caused by a traumatic or stressful event. It usually occurs suddenly and may last for minutes, hours, or days. In rare cases, it may last for months or years." Dr. Abdussalam removed his bifocals and rubbed his lean nose.

"That's like four or five types of amnesia you've mentioned." Hajiya Maimuna made a face. He only mentioned like two but all those weird names, to her they are all amnesias.

He grinned suddenly, it made him look younger. "I only mentioned post traumatic amnesia and dissociative, there are a lot of them. And in the case of dissociative, it rarely lasts for years so why don't we use it? She should use it for as long as she wishes. Till she gets tired, of course."

Hajiya Maimuna was quiet for awhile not knowing whether she's got the right to choose what her daughter-in-law should do or not. She doesn't want to come off as that dominating mother-in-law but she would probably want that for years, just so she could bask in another body that isn't hers. And who knows? Start liking it in the nearest future?

It's decided then, dissociative whatever it is. "We should work with the dissociative and make sure he knows just how serious this is. Look as grave as you can while talking to him about it."

Dr. Abdussalam rolled his eyes. "I'm not used to lying so don't expect me to just act it out. I save lives, not help ruin them or play with them in this case. Give me a break."

Hajiya Maimuna's left brow rise instantly. "And you think I'm playing with my son's life?"

"Isn't that obvious? You want him to not be the person he is by using your daughter-in-law so don't get me started." He stood up from behind his desk and shrug on his laboratory coat.

Now she is fuming if her gentle scowl is anything to go with. "Don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do with my sons life. I don't care what you think about this, just get the job done and get paid."

"Why didn't you ask any other doctor? I'm not even a neurologist for goodness sake!" He retorted right back, his entire back facing her so he won't see her frail expression.