You Took My Breath Away

Chapter Fourteen

For the next few days, there was always a doctor at the door. Almost like a security guard, but I guess it's for more reasons than because I got out of bed. Isaac says I'm safe with a doctor standing at the door, and I know he's talking about the fall. Which makes me feel as if I've lost his trust, but I'm too afraid to ask him if I have or not. Since he's on a regular rotation, and has been for a while, I don't see him as much as I want to. The doctor's standing at the door never really talk to me. Except this one nurse, her name is Julie. She was the first doctor who spent the day looking after me. But she hasn't been since. She has a son named Mateo. He's 6 and a half, a real troublemaker apparently. I look around the room, searching for something to think about. But I only get my head so far, as I still have this sock wrapped around my head. But I see the sunlight blaring through the gap in the curtains. The doctors only open them a little bit, as I've had a lot of light sensitivity. I look outside the corridor window, and see nurses, doctors, surgeons and patients in wheelchairs walk by. I see children holding people's hands, and adults, mainly mothers, crying. Possibly saying their goodbye's. The thought makes me eyes teary, I blink hard to make the tears go away. The doctor at the door checks her watch, then looks at me. And doesn't. Look. Away. I break the stare by looking at my feet. The last doctor was Doctor. Toosh. His name made me giggle a lot, but I think he expected me to be a child as he was surprised to see me as a twenty-seven year old. Doctor. Bruce had to get another doctor that day, because I wouldn't stop teasing him about his name. Doctor. Toosh. The doctor at the door now is a woman. Tall, blonde hair that's tied up in a ponytail, bright green eyes, and she always has a straight, or evil look on her pale face. She could be a vampire. I start thinking about jokes inside my head, and one makes me burst out laughing. She just looks up at me, at her watch, back to me, then at the floor. There's a minute or two of silence, until I tap the wall with my knuckle. She looks over at me, and I grab my whiteboard and marker. I start writing, her eyes still fixed on me. "What's your name?" I reveal the words to the woman. She doesn't say anything, just walks around the the end of my bed and checks my clipboard. While she's looking down, I wiggle my toes, an attempt to make her giggle. But all I get is a glare. She kinda freaks me out. I lie down and look at the ceiling. "You can't lie down!" I jump, as she says this rather loudly. Ah, she speaks! Her voice is rough, and sort of deep for a female. I give her a confused look. She explains why I can't lie down, but I don't listen. She puts down the clipboard and comes over to the side of the bed. She grabs a spare pillow from inside the cabinet and places it behind my back. She adjusts the bed to make it so i can't lie down, only sit up. I squint my eyes at her when she isn't looking. But she must have eyes in the back of her head, because as soon as I do this, she looks at me with sharp eyes. I cross my arms in frustration and she gives me a bitchy smile. I mock her. She walks over to the door, and I remain seated, in a really uncomfortable bed I must say. I look at the clock, it's nearly 12pm, and i'm starving. I tap the wall with my knuckles to get the woman's attention. I'm going to name her... Bitchy Britney. She looks at me with her all serious facials, as usual. I grab the whiteboard and marker, yet again, and start to write. "What's for lunch?" I show her the board and smile. She goes over to the cabinet and opens a small door to reveal three smaller shelves. On the top shelf is a series of small boxes, inside are small bandages and plasters. On the middle shelf is all the over-the-counter painkillers, in locked, plastic containers. And on the bottom shelf is a long plastic container, full of long bandages. Like the sock on my head. On the inside of the cabinet door is a laminated sheet of paper. Bitchy Britney looks at what it says and replies with, "you have a choice of either sandwiches, soup, or a fruit salad." I put up three fingers, indicating I want the salad. She nods her head and grabs her phone out of her pocket, she starts typing. She presses a button, which makes a 'ding' sound. After about a ten minute wait I see a man with spiky hair, and gorgeous brown eyes bringing in a tray with a bowl full of fruit placed on it. I squeal in excitement and frantically start writing on the board. "Isaac, you're here!" I reveal the words to the breathtakingly handsome man. He chuckles and nods his head. "Hey Carly, sorry I haven't visited in a while, been so busy today. I'm on my lunch break, so I have just over an hour with you." I smile as he walks over to me. He places the tray down, and gives me a soft, long kiss. This is one thing I hate most about my day. Cleaning the tube. Isaac calls Bruce and tells him to come to my room for a trach tube cleanse. A few nerve racking minutes go by and Doctor. Bruce pokes his head through the door. I start to panic, but they put two small tubes up my nose. They give me enough oxygen so I don't pass out from lack of breathing, but it's uncomfortable when they take the tube out. Isaac grabs an alcohol wipe, and new dressings from the cabinet and hands them to Bruce. "Okay, Carly. You know the drill. Before I take a tube out I need you to take a deep breath in and exhale when I put the tubes in, okay?" I nod nervously Isaac holds my hand and gives me a soft smile. Bruce gives me a nod and I take a deep breath in. He takes the tube out and places the smaller tubes up my nose. It's not a lot of oxygen, so it still feels like i'm suffocating. Isaac and Bruce clean around the hole in my throat, and place a new trach tube in. Putting the tube in is a lot more uncomfortable than taking it out. I close my eyes, scrunching up my face as they put the tube in my throat. Bruce takes the tubes out of my nose, and finally I can breathe again. Bruce walks out after checking vitals, and I eat my bowl of fruit salad, enjoying the next hour I have with Isaac.