Chim - I'll Always Be There

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Whilst we were in the ambulance, she lost consciousness twice but the paramedic managed to wake her up again. The second time she was out for a while and woke up disorientated, not sure where she was or what had happened, but she soon remembered once we told her.

Now we’re in the waiting room, like we have been for the past half hour. As soon as we got in the hospital, Cheryl was wheeled into a room which I couldn’t enter and I was shown into here. The girls arrived about 10 minutes later and they haven’t left my side since.

Nicola and I just held each other while we cried, and Nadine was staring out the window, sniffling to herself until I called her over, offering my arm. She responded by sitting beside me, holding me tightly and crying into my shoulder.

Whereas Sarah has been popping in every now and then after questioning every single nurse about what is going on with Cheryl, although the only thing she has found out is how impatient the nurses are when being questioned over and over again. They have told her repeatedly to stay in the waiting room until someone comes for us.

‘Cheryl Tweedy?’

I jump up as do Nicola and Nadine, as a doctor walks into the room, Sarah following close behind him, watching him intently with a concerned look on her face.

‘What’s happening? Is she okay?’ I ask, urgently.

The doctor looks at me with a sad smile.

‘We have stopped the bleeding, but she has lost a lot of blood. We have had to put her in an induced coma.’ He says and my stomach drops.

‘When will she wake up?’ Sarah questions.

‘Whenever she is strong enough to pull through’

‘But she will be okay after that, right?’ Nadine urges.

‘We won’t know about any complications until she wakes up I’m afraid’ he sighs, ‘sorry I can’t tell you anymore, we just have to be patient with her and wait until she wakes up’

With that he turns and leaves, edging past Sarah, who is stood perfectly still, sharing a look with Nadine and Nicola. I quickly push past her and go after the doctor.

‘Can we see her?!’ I call down the corridor.

He quickly turns as the girls follow me out of the waiting room.

‘Oh, of course, sorry’ he apologises, coming back in our direction and walking past us. ‘Follow me; I’ll take you to her.’

He speed walks down the corridor and we quickly follow in silence. He guides up past a few wards to our left, before stopping outside a private room to the right.

‘She’s just through here’ he says, reaching for the door handle and slowly pushing it open.

He steps aside, letting us all walk in, and I gasp as the sight before me.

Cheryl looks so small and weak in the massive hospital bed, multiple wires and tubes attached to her mouth, throat and arm, attaching her to a machine which she is currently dependant on, and an oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. Bandages tarnished with blood cover her forehead and dry blood stains cascade down the side of her face.

‘Now remember, she has lost a lot of blood, so she looks pale and the bandage on her head is only temporary’ He explains, ‘her head is likely to weep for the first few hours, so a nurse will be in later to give her a clean bandage’

I walk around to the other side of the bed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, since most of the oversized mattress isn’t being used by her petite body.