Wake Up

Suffered from QT Syndrome.... Monday night.... heart stopped.... Intensive Care Unit.... still hasn't woken up

My eyes scan the text message over and over again. I can sense myself starting to panic, my heart hammering inside my chest. This can't really be happening, can it?

... happened on Monday night

I read it again. It's a Saturday evening right now. How could I not have known? I'm still in disbelief, but instead of calling her phone to see if her family members pick up, I search up the hospital name on Google and let the phone ring. Someone is definitely lying to me, playing some kind of mean joke. Because there's no way my 23-year-old friend from university is lying on a bed in ICU right now.

"Hello this is...." I hear the lady at the hospital introduce herself and ask how she can can help.

"Hi there..." already my voice cracks. I don't think I can disguise the panic in my voice. "I um, I just got a message saying my friend is in ICU. I.... I was wondering if I could double check if she's at this hospital?"

I give her my friend's first and last name, praying that maybe she'll say that she isn't here. But after a few moments, with some keyboard clicks in the background, the hospital receptionist repeats my friend's name and confirms that she is in fact in ICU.

"Would you like me to transfer for you to the nurse?"

"Sure," I squeak. "Thank you."

The minute I hear the beeps of the transfer call, the tears come flowing out; warm streaks running down my cheeks. I try to get as much information from the nurse, but because I'm not family she can't say much. I thank her anyway and hang up.

I. I. Can't breathe.

I still think everyone is lying to me. So I dial the number of my other university friend. Number two of our university trio. People used to tease us, calling us the Three Musketeers. She picks up, and I immediately start rambling to her about the text message and my phone call with the hospital. I'm sitting cross-legged in my closet, tears burning my eyes, voice shaking. I can't contain my emotions. The sweat under my arms leave dark circles on my light grey shirt.

"Can you call the hospital again for me? I'm not thinking straight. Can you please confirm for me?" I choke out every word. My friend tells me she'll call me right back.

In moments I hear the phone ring again.

"I spoke with aunty. She couldn't stop crying on the phone, and was telling me that she has been in a coma since Tuesday," my friend explains everything. I can now hear the panic is her voice. "I just saw her on Sunday and she was fine! How could this have happened?"

We chat for awhile, both our hearts aching. The crying doesn't stop. The minute I put down the phone I bend over and sob all over again. My breath coming out in gasps. It hurts so much.

After I get a hold of myself a bit, I rush to my parents room. I tell my mom what happened, and she envelopes me in a hug, and the waterworks start again. I let myself sob, my breathe coming out in hitching gasps.

When I head back to my room, eyes bloodshot and puffy, I change out of my sweaty clothes and go into prostration. Continuing to weep, I beg God to have my friend wake up.