Wonders of the world

Phantom limb pain

He came home later that evening, surprised that Connie wasn't downstairs. He jogged quietly up the stairs, a smile on his face as he saw her fast asleep on the bed, wearing nothing but her underwear and his jumper.

He turned on the bedside light and turned off the main light, before moving around gently and packing a few pieces of clothes into a duffel bag.

He decided against making dinner and instead slipped up onto the bed behind her, turning on the television and curling himself around her. He smiled gently as she wriggled into him, his hand holding onto hers as she breathed gently.

"You're my favourite person in the world," he told her softly, "I never expected a woman like you to fall for someone like me... But I promise I will love and protect you forever."

She turned in his arms, slipping his hand over his waist and underneath his t-shirt, "forever is really long time staff nurse masters... You may not be promising that when we live and work together,"

He pushed her hair behind her ear gently, "you telling me I need to expect you to find someone else?"

She snuggled into him, "never... The more I think about it forever doesn't sound long enough,"

He took her hand and interlinked his fingers with hers, "you mean that?"

She smiled, "I have half a metal leg, a patchy memory and I can only work part time... You sure you know what you're letting yourself in for?"

He laughed, "you forgot the fact you hate cooking and you have too much love for pizza,"

She raised her eyebrow, "see your considering revoking forever aren't you?" She smiled,

He placed his hands either side of her cheeks and kissed her, "absolutely not."

"You alright babe?" He asked as he watched her sit on the sofa after their run and rapidly detach her prosthetic leg.

She winced and rubbed her leg firmly, before pulling it to her chest and cursing quietly.

He sat beside her, concern spreading across his face and she opened her eyes as the pain passed,

"I'm okay," she nodded, "all of a sudden I just got this phantom limb pain... It's gone now,"

He pressed his lips to her forehead, "you sure?"

She nodded, "now come on, you promised me a glass of wine, in a hot bath, and a cuddle with my favourite man..."

"Miss. Chase?" Her colleague Dr. Cullen asked her and she closed her eyes momentarily,

"I'm fine," she nodded and although he wasn't convinced, he was soon taken aback by how quickly she performed the bypass in the middle of the ED majors,

"I should have known it would have been you Mrs. Beauchamp," Jac Naylor smirked and Connie smiled,

"Miss. Chase now," she smiled,

"I didn't know you were working here? Let's have a glass of wine," Jac smiled and Connie nodded,

"Dare I say it; but I look forward to it," Connie replied,

Jac smiled, "I see you've done all our work for us already,"

"Of course... You lot took your time in getting here didn't you?"

Jac rolled her eyes, "drink Friday?"

Connie nodded; "see you then."

"Jesus Christ," she hissed, not realising Paul had walked through the door. She pulled off her prosthetic leg and cursed again,"

"Hey, sit down," he uttered, guiding her to the sofa.

She leaned into his chest and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder,

"What are you doing here?"

"Burns Consult with Michael Spence... Thought I'd catch up with my favourite ED Consulatant... Seems you're quite a hit here,"

She smiled, "I keep getting this phantom limb pain Paul... I've tried mirror therapy and visualisation and I just can't stop it,"

He nodded, "this sounds ridiculous, but my friend found pushing down on his prosthetic limb with something hard helps,"

She nodded, "I don't get it for ages and then it flares up out of nowhere... It's not stress related, there's no pattern to it, but it's almost unbearable."

Jacob smiled as he entered Connie's office to see her fast asleep on Pauls chest.

"She okay?"

"I think so, she's been getting phantom limb pain again,"

Jacob nodded, "I'm on shift for another few hours, will you take her home?"

Paul nodded, "of course."

Connie was surprised as she woke up two hours later on her sofa. She looked up at Paul and rolled her eyes, "how did you get me back here?"

"Jacob carried you into my car and I lifted you out... You were fast asleep,"

She yawned, "I've not been sleeping recently with this pain,"

He ran his hands through her hair, "he only wants to help you know,"

She sighed, "I know... But finally things are normal... We have normal conversation and we can run together and we don't have to talk about this bloody leg,"

Paul nodded, "okay, I get it... Well... You know what I mean,"

She stood in theatre, her hand shaking as the pain shot through her,

"Mr. Cullen... I need you to put your scalpel into my prosthetic foot... Please..."

Jacob raised an eyebrow,

"Now... Before I drop my own scalpel,"

As he did as she asked, she felt the pain seep from her and she sighed, "thank you,"

Jacob watched her and she nodded, before carrying on.

"Not the most researched method," he nodded and she sighed,

"Paul was right... That cured the pain faster than anything else has."

As she took off her gown, Jacob slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her temple, "you are some surgeon," he murmured against her,

"Couldn't do it without my favourite nurse," she smiled as she leaned back into him.

"You okay now?" He asked and she nodded,

"Yes... Although I could really do with some pizza."