Breaking Through

Chapter 11

Unconsciously I saw lights flashing by and I swore, at one point, I heard sirens. Nah, this couldn't be happening, it was just some messed up dream. I was sure of it. I often had random dreams.

***

Beep

Beep.

I could hear shuffling feet all around me. I tried to move and open my eyes. For some strange reason my eyes were seemingly glued shut and my body suctioned to the bed. What was going on? I caught snippets of hushed, rushed voices. What was happening, was this a dream I was unable to view? I started to freak out. I drifted in and out of, what I didn't even know, but I can only assume to be consciousness. If I was even conscious that is.

***

It felt like an eternity that I was in this weird world of my own, all on my own. I just wanted to see Emily and hug my mum. Questions kept popping into my head; do I have a neurological problem, is this some weird dream, am I even still alive?

Finally I was pulled back into reality, glad to see again. My mum rushed over to me, crying. Puzzled, I half-armed hugged her as something seemed to restrain my other arm from moving. As I blinked "sleep" from my eyes I saw my arm; a drip was in it. I frowned. As I slowly regained consciousness I learnt that actually I was not in my bed anymore. My parents went to each other and cried into each other's arms instead. Still confused at the whole situation I went to ask my mum. The only thing that came out of my mouth was a strangled, choking sound. My mum noticed my mouth was gaping open and held my hand.

"Sweetie, you're in the hospital. We came to test you last night and you were 'Low', like you know the lowest you could be. I tried to wake you to give you juice. Me and daddy tried shaking you and poking you, we tried everything. You wouldn't wake. So we gave you Glucagon, the needle in the leg. Still you didn't wake up. So we called the ambulance. You've been in hospital for two days. But we are so happy you are awake now."

I was flabbergasted. So much could happen in a few hours. Then I thought back to the night I went into a coma. I did feel shaky, I presumed that was happiness, but it must have been a hypo. I couldn't believe it; I had also forgotten to test before bed. I must have been really close to not waking up at all. I was pretty sure I had just had a near-death experience. A nurse came in and plopped a tray on my table with a little wink. On the way out she whispered something about me finally being awake and how happy she was. My parents merely smiled and nodded. I shifted slightly to see what was on my tray. Mash potatoes, chicken, vegetables and lime jelly. Strangely, I loved hospital food especially their mash. I had a spoonful of mash and ate the jelly. They always seemed to give you lime, it was strange. Happy to fill my belly, although I was on a drip, which made my stomach have something in it, I was still hungry. After I had finished my mum went out and came back in with Emily and Tim. Emily screamed and I saw her wipe a few stray tears away. They had been waiting for me. True friends.

"Oh my god. Emma." was all Emily could manage to say.

Tim simply leant in and kissed my forehead, concerned look on his face.

I muttered that I was okay. I couldn't imagine how much I stank and how terrible I looked after two days in the hospital. They talked to each other and my parents then Tim left me a teddy bear holding a heart and they both left saying they would visit soon. I felt really bad after they had left. I had no more distraction from the fact that, ultimately, I had put myself in a coma, by not testing before bed. Diabetes, although you may not think it, is a really dangerous disease. If you are too high, you can go into a coma. If you are too low you can also go into a coma. It was such a confusing and misunderstood disease. I wished it was as well known as cancer. Just a little fact: out of all the people with diabetes only 12% have type one. So that was why we were so misunderstood. Everyone thought type two was the only type and nobody really wanted to know different. Well, that was my life anyway.