The Scars We Bear

I

My eyes fluttered open. Where was I? I looked around and heard a machine beeping in rhythm. Every wall was white with a light gray pattern. I was... In a hospital? But... Why?

I tried to move in the hospital bed but excruciating shot up my back and my stomach.

"Ow!" I tried to yell but no sound came out. I now felt a tube running down my throat and heard a machine softly pumping air. So I can't move, can't talk, and don't even know why?

I heard the screech of the curtain slide across the metal bar and a plump, black nurse walked in.

"Ah you're up! Well I think we can take that ventilator out now. I heard her clip a few things, press some buttons and felt a sensation in my throat. I went into a coughing fit. When I finished coughing the nurse smiled and reassured me.

"Don't worry that happens to everyone. You did quite well!" She exclaimed. "Is there anything you need?"

"Water!" I said in a quiet, hoarse voice. She chuckled and hurried off.

I still didn't know why I was here but I bet I'll find out when the nurse comes back. I heard the curtain open and looked up, only to find a girl a few years older than me.

"Aniya James... I've heard a lot about you," she said in a calm tone. She had dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a hospital gown and pulling an I.V stand.

"How do you know who I am?" I asked, my voice coming back, only slightly.

"Well first of all your name is written on this white board on the end of your bed..." She said in a playful tone. "And your surgery happened last week, the doctors have been talking a lot about it."

"Myyyy.... Surgery??" I asked confused. She giggled a bit.

"You don't know?" She laughed. I shook my head.  "Here I'll show you," she said and walked over to me. "Since you weren't up you're just wearing PJ's not a hospital gown," she stated, I'm not sure why. 

She finally arrived at the side of my bed and pulled my shirt up.

"What are you doing!? Stop!!" I said and squirmed which just caused more pain and I quietly yelped.

"See?" She said and lifted up my shirt so you could see my stomach. There was a long, pink cut with stitches across it. I stared at it.

"Wha~?" I said but she seemed to know what I was gonna say.

"Adenosquamous carcinomas," she said. I had a puzzled look on my face and she rolled her eyes. "Pancreas cancer. You came in unconscious and have been in a coma since you got here. They performed the surgery to get your tumor out last week and it was successful as far as I know." She stated. I remembered having awful stomach aches but I never knew it was.... Cancer.

"I'll be the only one with a scar," I murmured, but the girl heard. She turned around, pulled her gown down so I could see her back. She had a scar going all the way down her back in the middle. I could even see it going on the back of her neck. I opened my mouth to say something, but I didn't know what. She turned back around.

"Chordona, or spinal and skull cancer. What you didn't see was the scar covered by my hair. That's Glioblastoma, or brain cancer. Don't be embarrassed by your scars. They're just proof of how tough we are. " She smiled. "I'm-"

"August!" The nurse yelled.

"Gottogobye!" She said really fast and ran out of the room.

"I'm sorry about her. She's been here for a few years and doesn't get many visitors. But sometimes she goes a little too far. Sorry you had to find out that way. " she said and looked in the direction August ran off in.

"I wouldn't have had it any other way,"