The Forgettable Life of Delphine Clemens

Part 3

Patient File

Patient First Name: Delphine

Surname: Clemens

Gender: Female

Residence: Johns Hopkins Children's Center

City, State, Country: Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America

Parent/Guardian: Sarah Clemens

Diagnosis: Fucosidosis, a rare lysosomal storage disorder in which the FUCA1 gene experiences mutations that severely reduce or stop the activity of the alpha-L-fucosidase enzyme.

Anne

I wished that I could've gone to see Delphine. I have new stickers for her. With glitter! I heard that she was getting a surgery because I listen to what's happening around the hospital, and I overheard the nurse assigned to her talking about how brave she was. For getting another procedure done, I got two Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie stuffies. I was going to give them to her, but the nice lady at the desk said I couldn't go up to see her, so I guess I'm stuck here, on the red, rubber-coated swings.  

I get up from the swings and start wandering around. Without Delphine, I didn't know what to do. I continue to pace around the playground until I see Delphine's mum looking frantically around the playground, wringing her hands and pacing. I sprint over to her, the sudden burst of physical activity making my breath coming in ragged gasps. I say,"Are you okay?"

Tears fall from her cheeks and splash on the rubberized ground. "I've been looking for you. Delphine wanted me to talk to you. She's so brave. And now I don't know if she'll make it. . ." she rambled. Fresh tears started to spill down the young, yet worn curvature of her face. I ask, "Don't know if she'll make what?"

She took a deep breath, "Anne... honey... she might not survive." She falls to her knees to onto the rubber playtop.

I've never seen an adult cry, or be weak. They have always seemed so perfect, like stone statues, encased in a shell, separate. Just seeing an adult cry, or one show that amount of emotion sends me into shock. I look away, and my gaze lands on the plushies clutched, forgotten, in my hand. I awkwardly hand her the glittery Rainbow-Dash plush. "Give this to Delphine, okay?"

My simple act of kindness seems to shock her into silence. The wind blows past, causing the pine needles to scatter across the ground. "Thank you, thank you so much," she whispers. She then turns, still weeping, and goes back through in the hospital's automatic doors. I sit down on the red swings, where I first met Delphine. I tell myself, I will see her again. She'll be back and then I can give her the stickers and the other plushies and we can be friends. I get up from the red swings and walk across the sterilized red playtop and through the sliding hospital doors. I walk up to the front desk, where there is a nurse sitting in a chair. I ask, "Can I see Delphine?" The nurse says,
"Delphine Clemens?"

"Yeah," I respond.

"Sorry honey, she's in surgery right now. Are you a friend or a family member?"

"I'm a friend."

" I think you could go up since it's such a high-risk surgery. She needs all the support she can get. Why don't you go to wait in G9, where her mum is waiting."

"Thank you very much!" I respond cheerfully.

I walk up the stairs to the second floor. I wish that I could run up the stairs as fast as I used to be able to, but after I got sick, I wasn't allowed to run anymore. I opened the door slightly and looked into the grey sterile waiting room. The smell of antiseptic fills the air and I feel like gagging. I am suddenly overcome with a wave of fear. My mind spits out all the possible scenarios. What if she didn't survive the surgery? What if the surgery messed up her memory and she doesn't remember me anymore? Even though I'd only known Delphine for a day, she was my first and only friend in the whole wide world. What would happen if she wasn't here? I open the door and find Delphine's mom collapsed on the ground. Heaving sobs echo through the room. What happened? The doctor is standing awkwardly in the doorway, staring blankly at the gray walls. I walk up to the doctor,

"How is Delphine?"

The doctor is shocked out of his stupor. He says softly,

"She's gone."

The plushie falls out of my tightly clenched hand and it bounces once, twice, three times on the linoleum floor. Just like that, the life of Delphine Clemens is gone.