Noah's Winter

Chapter Eighteen

I was lying on my side clutching my stomach tightly. I was having shooting pains through my torso, starting at my back. The pain became unbearable and I let out a shrill scream. My dad was at my side in an instant yelling for Jake to get a doctor.

 "What hurts baby?" My dad asked frantically. I bit the inside of my cheek hard so I wouldn't scream again, drawing blood, I knew if I opened my mouth to answer my dad I would not be able to hold my scream in. All of a sudden nurses came rushing in and ushered my family out of the room, I saw my mother looking back at me with tormented gray eyes. One nurse with gray hair stuck a huge needle in my arm to get a blood sample, that you used to hurt, you know, but if needles were the only painful thing I had to endure, I would invite it with open arms. A male nurse asked, 

"Where are you in pain?"

 "My lower back and stomach" I breathed out through clenched teeth. His expression became masked with horror and he rushed out of the room. Did everyone have to use such alarming facial expressions? It was starting to scare the heck out of me, gosh.

My doctor, Alison, came in with my parents. My parent's faces were full of unease; it seemed they had aged years over the past four months.

 "Winter, the blood samples are going through tests as we speak. I think you may have a kidney infection, which can be fixed with antibiotics. Tell me on a scale 1 to 10 how much pain are you in?" Alison asked, standing by me, her brown eyes full of worry also.

 "Ten." I spit through clenched teeth, my fists were clenched tightly at my sides. I could feel all my energy draining out of me quickly, kind of like my life was draining out of me, also. Was this finally the end? I suddenly felt extremely guilty, Noah needed me and it seemed I was just letting myself go, I'd have to try for him and for my family...but when does it become too much? Too much pain and treatments, I was slowly becoming a vegetable in this damned hospital.

The male nurse from earlier rushed in toward Alison. He handed her a white sheet of paper, and took a hesitant step back. She glanced at it quickly and her face became horror struck. At once, more doctors and nurses filed in with equipment, and machines were being plugged in. I heard the doctor say, 

"Kidney failure" and something like, "Emergency surgery" I couldn't hold on anymore, the pain was too much and I could feel myself slipping, finally the darkness overcame me. My last thoughts were of Noah and my family...what would they do if I died? I didn't want to give up, I really didn't, but I just couldn't do it anymore.