Being Josh Ramsay's Daughter

Blinks

"Alright. Hang on just one second Acadia. I'm going to clear everyone out of your room and then I'll come talk to you."

She quickly walked away and, within seconds, returned. It was so easy for her to get them all to leave.

"Acadia. I know I told you not to speak, but I'm going to need to do some tests. I'll try not to ask you too many questions requiring answers. But if I do, I'll ask you only yes or no questions. You can answer me with blinks. One for yes, two for no. Ready?"

I blinked once.

"Okay. So I know you can move your hand. Can you just raise both of your arms for me?"

I raised my left arm with ease, but there was some hesitation in my right arm. I couldn't lift it as high.

"Very good." She said, scribbling something down on a clipboard. "Now, can you sit up? Don't push yourself though; stop if it's hurting."

I slowly tried to sit up. My body felt heavy. I grabbed onto the edge of the bed -with the arm I could move- and tried to pull myself up. My back felt weak, like it was ready to split in half. I could feel tears dripping down my cheeks as I looked at the nurse's face.

"Stop. Don't push yourself, we will work more on this another time please lay back down." I could see pity in her eyes.

I stared at her for a moment -still sitting as much as I could- I realized it definitely wasn't pity. It was sympathy.

I laid back down. She came closer to me.

"Would you like me to elevate your bed a little so you can see what's going on?"

I blinked once.

"Okay. Only a little though, I don't want to hurt you." She had a kind voice.

She raised the head of my bed up just to the point where I could actually see over my toes.

"One last thing. Can you move your toes for me?"

I looked at my toes; this one I could watch. I wiggled. Nothing moved. I wiggled again; still nothing. I tried again and again and again. Nothing. I tried to move my foot. Nothing. My leg. Nothing.

I couldn't move anything past my hips. What was wrong?

"You were trying right?" She asked.

I blinked once.

"Can you feel this?"

She touched my feet. I couldn't feel a thing. I only knew she was doing it because I could see her.

She looked at my eyes for a response. I blinked twice.

"This?" She asked, touching my knee.

I blinked twice.

"This you can feel though, right?" She touched my right hand.

Pain shot up my arm. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I blinked once.

"I'm sorry." She said, softly. "I will be back to check on you in a bit. For now, just try to relax."

She walked out of the room, making sure that the door was closed behind her.