SHE DESERVES BETTER

chapter 3

Approximately five minutes after a terrible car accident that encountered Becky Smith in her cab, first responders found her face down and not breathing. They placed an endotracheal (breathing) tube in her trachea (windpipe) and transported her to the hospital, where she was admitted to the ICU. She received treatments, such as medications to elevate blood pressure, ventilator support of breathing, and IV fluids for hydration, all of which are necessary to support the brain and the body so that the brain can recover from injury.

Although Becky's vital organs were not seriously injured, a CT scan showed widespread swelling of the brain. Dr. Humphrey, a neurologist, evaluated her. Becky was still in the bed and didn't move spontaneously. When blood was drawn from her arm, she did not move it or even wince. When Dr. Humphrey shouted Becky's name and applied painful stimuli to assess her level of consciousness, her eyes did not open. When he held her eyes open, no spontaneous eye movements were evident, nor did she look at his face. A review of Becky's medications and the lab and toxicology tests showed the presence of no substances that might worsen Becky's neurologic exam. Therefore, it was clear that Becky had sustained severe brain damage that was causing severely impaired consciousness, Becky was in a coma!

Few minutes later Leonard was directed to the ICU ward where Becky was admitted, on his way there he bumped someone on the corridor due to his rushing walk, his hand was grabbed tight and someone familiar spoke in a small tiny voice with much anger.

'Uh-uh not so fast handsome, you just thought making my life miserable wasn't enough that you came for a brace? And God forbid whatever you are planning to steal in the ICU, where is my goddamn purse and phone???' Amanda said in a small dry voice trying not to create a scenario.

'Look girl, your face doesn't ring a bell in my head, i don't know you and beside, I've got much important matter to deal with right now, so option A, leave me be or else we will have to go with option B' Leonard replied coldly while jerking his hand off

'And what is option B tiger huh?! You will steal me too?' Amanda added while still holding his hand tightly

'I will rip you Latina eyeballs off and fuck the sockets, now let me go!' he replied as he pushed her so hard that she fell on the ground, Amanda called security on him and few minutes later they took him to a room where they questioned him while making arrangements to take him to the police station.

In the room Leonard insisted on not knowing Amanda and threatened to sue the hospital for arresting him while he is wrongfully accused, after a lot of discussion they decided to let him go and apologized for the inconveniences. He then rushed to the ICU to see his sister.

On entering the room Leonard didn't believe her sister was in there, the room was filled with much terrifying machines and many attendants moving from one place to another, the beeping sounds of the monitors made a terrifying sense of death aroma, he just stood there not seeing his sister, a nurse asked him the name of his patient, he explained and was then sent to her bed, on seeing her he bursted into tears, he knelt down beside her, hold her hands, they were so cold, Becky just lied there not saying a single word, memories of him and her during their childhood flashed in his mind as a slideshow.

'Sir, excuse me are you the one responsible for billing this particular patient, ummmmh Becky Smith?, you will have to fill in the insurance forms' It was a nurse's voice that brought him back to his senses

'Ah of course yes, wait no we don't have insurance coverage, we will go with cash please' Leonard replied in a cocky voice while getting up

'Sir with no insurance it's gonna cost you a lot of money for her treatment, do you understand that? The nurse replied politely

'Oh yes we should just let her die, she is going to anyways, are you stupid?, she is my sister and I'm going to pay my balls for her treatment if that's what it takes' Leonard replied angrily with a rough voice full of suspense

'Sir i know you are hurt but am going to need you to use a less provocative way of speaking because this is a hospital and all we are trying to do is save your sister, now there are also forms for you to fill for cash payment' the nurse replied politely and led him to their office

Leonard headed to the office and there he was given the bill for the day, on seeing it he exclaimed 'This is going to be fun, so this is for just one day, so for how long do you think she is going to be here? He asked

'Well that depends, prognosis vary, some takes days, weeks, years and sometimes don't get out at all' she replied

Leonard signed the papers and got directed to the cashier's office, he paid and left. The next day he came back early and waited for the visiting hours, as he sat there he saw Amanda getting in the waiting section wearing the nurse's outfits, on seeing each other she frowned and went back to the ICU ward and few minutes later another nurse came and gave the patient's relatives the protocols of entering the ICU the do's and don'ts, after a few minutes Amanda peeped through the door with another nurse and pointed to Leonard's direction, after another few minutes Amanda peeped with another nurse this time pointing directly to Leonard, they then entered inside, Leonard on seeing that he got up and went to stood by the door, few minutes later Amanda peeped again this town she found him on the door, she almost shouted because she didn't expect to see him there.

'Sir may I help you with anything other than allowing you to enter the ward in such inappropriate hours?' Amanda replied shakily

'Yah sure I was hoping you guys could tell me what's exactly going on, I cant have people randomly peeping on me as like I am some sorry ass lowlife monkey on a zoo' Leonard replied in a firm voice

'Well you must be hallucinating, I'm gonna need you to go back to your seat if there's nothing sane you want to say' she replied

'Nothing sane, you want to say I'm speaking baloney right?, is that the way this hospital treats its clients?, look girl, I may or may not be the person who made a fool out of you in the airport or so you say but you need to calm that attitude of yours, I know my rights and in any fucking way I get to feel any more uncomfortable I'm gonna file a complaint on your sorry ass, stupid' Leonard said in a deep strict voice and went back to his seat.

Amanda just stood there shaking in anger, few seconds later a little device on her hip pocket beeped, she took it and after seeing it she ran back inside. Few minutes later the family members were allowed to enter the ward, Leonard was the first in the list, he went directly to Becky's bed but strangely he didn't find her there, a danger alarm echoed in his mind.