Hardships

A Friend in Me

Catra sat up with a shaky grunt, the pain that shot up her sides, and her right arm that was only a nub and abdomen. With the help of some nurses, she grabbed onto a bowl of fruit that consisted of cantaloupe, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, mango cubes and watermelon cubes.

"Do you feel any discomfort my lord?", one of the nurses, Raleigh, asks running a gentle hand up and down the feline's back watching as the royal's jaw clenched everytime she lifted her left arm. Catra sighs and shakes her head, "N-No but there is this odd pain coming from my right arm. I-Its like someone is burning my a-arm".

Raleigh nods and gently puts a hand on Catra's shoulder and said, "Thats alright hun, you're going through something called Phantom Pain. It's something thats seen commonly through amputee patients and/or patients that have lost a limb". Catra stopped chewing on the cube of cantaloupe in her mouth, placing it down on the bed. She swallowed the fruit in her mouth and asked curiously, "Phantom pain? What is th-", she stopped mid-sentence releasing a sharp hiss as her eyes widened in pain. The pain shot through her nub and up her shoulder down to her sides.

"AGHHHH!", Catra writhed as she reached for her wrapped nub, her eyes closed tightly as she grit her teeth. Raleigh immediately jumped into action, gently taking Catra's shaky hand in hers and replacing the hand that was once on Catra's nub with her own massaging it gently. Catra's writhing grunts and gasps of pain quieted down as the pain was relieved in only minutes.

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Catra's chest was heaving as she looked into hazel eyes. "H-How did you do that?", Catra asks shakily. Raleigh smiles, giving the feline her bowl of fruits once again. "Phantom pain is pain that feels like it's coming from a body part that's no longer there. Doctors once believed this post-amputation phenomenon was a psychological problem, but experts now recognize that these real sensations originate in the spinal cord and brain. Most people who've had a limb removed report that it sometimes feels as if the amputated limb is still there. This painless phenomenon, known as phantom limb sensation, isn't the same as phantom pain. For some people, phantom pain gets better over time without treatment. For others, managing phantom pain can be challenging. When you lose a limb, the surgeon will remove the diseased tissue and any crushed bone then smoothen uneven areas of bone. And after that, seal off blood vessels and nerves usually with sutures or cauterization. Cut and shape muscles so that the stump, or end of the limb, will be able to have a prothesis attached to it. Some nerves may be stressed so massage therapy can help relieve pain. This is because massage therapy relaxes muscle tissue, which reduces painful contractions and spasms. Massage can also reduce nerve compression. To understand this, consider that when muscles are contracted, they sometimes compress the nerves around them", Raleigh explains leaving the feline speechless and astonished.

"Thanks for the information... but uh I have no idea what half of that means", Catra says with a small chuckle. Raleigh chuckles, patting the feline's shoulder and sat herself on the bed. "Are you in a talking mood? Or are you still tired?", Raleigh asks softly.. patiently. Catra sighs and says, "I mean im down to talk, Im just trying to figure out how I've been asleep for a month. I mean, I missed the last month of my fiancé's first trimester. I tol-no I promised her I'd be there for her every step of the way". Raleigh nodded understandingly before saying, "Its ok, the same thing happened with my husband".

Catra quirked a brow and asked, "What happened? He got put in a coma?". Raleigh shook her head solemnly and said, "Sadly he passed away a week into his coma due to brain damage. But he promised the same thing, but couldnt go through with it so I went into labor by myself and had natural birth in our tub giving birth to a little baby boy". Catra sighed and whispered, "Im sorry you had to go through that alone...". Raleigh smiled, leaning forward and taking the feline's hand and saying, "Its alright hun, my baby boy is now with his father up in heaven". Catra's eyes widened and she looked into warm hazel eyes and said, "Im so sorry for your loss, what was his name?".

Raleigh smiled and said, "Troy ". Catra smiled softly and said, "A beautiful name Raleigh". Raleigh nodded and said, "Now, what about you? Your fiancé tell me about her". Catra's shy smile turned into a megawatt grin, her eyes were practically glowing at the mention of Adora. Raleigh picked up on this and smiled herself, the older woman remembered this look of pure joy and love on her husband's face before.

"S-Shes amazing.. I-I mean truly amazing. Adora and I- we were bestfriends since we were four.. since she found me back on Etheria. W-We were inseparable since day one, and then a couple years later we grew apart d-due to some tension in a war that split us apart for a year. S-She almost killed me", Catra stops a chuckle escaping her lips as she looked down at the band on her finger before continuing, "But she saved me. She never gave up. N-Not on anything or anyone. Not even me, when I was a complete dick to her. She's the strongest woman I know. Y-You may know her as She-Ra. I watched her save our planet, and bring peace to the universe. I was in love her since the moment her b-beautiful eyes met mine as a kid. I knew I was going to marry her". Raleigh smiled and squeezed the feline's hand and said, "You know... you would make an amazing momma Catra".

Catra smiled softly and asks gently, "You think so?". Raleigh smiled and nodded, "Yes I do, wanna know why?". Catra hummed and shook her head. Raleigh looked into mis-matched eyes and said, " Parenthood...It's about guiding the next generation, and forgiving the last. I know about the trauma you went through as a kid due to your brother's sin. When you lose your parents, the sadness doesn't go away. It just changes. It hits you sideways sometimes instead of head-on. Like now. You are a courageous, young, hard-headed, intelligent young lady. You've been through alot and so therefore your kid will be flooded with love and compassion every day from the moment they're brought into this world. It is the sunlight of parental love and encouragement that enables a child to grow in competence and slowly gain mastery over his environment. I can tell this love you have for Adora and the little one in her womb is bright, therefore your child will be lucky to call you their parent".

Catra smiled and said, "Thank you, that means alot". Raleigh nodded and said, "No problem dear... now I would like to ask you something. Is that fine with you?". Catra nodded and said, "I have no problem with it". Raleigh smiled softly before she asked, "Would you like to have a prosthetic arm made for you now and given to you in a week or two..? Or would you like to be released in a couple of weeks back home and they make the arm for you back in the palace". Catra hummed, tapping her finger to her chin for a while before saying, " How many weeks till Im released?".

"Four, you'll have to go through some testing and physical therapy in those weeks"

Catra nodded and said sheepishly , "I would like the prosthetic arm made now. I dont wanna freak anyone out with my nub". Raleigh nods and says, "Theres nothing to be ashamed of". Catra shrugs and goes to say something before there was a knock on her door.

Raleigh got up, and opened it to reveal another nurse. "Raleigh, family of Lord Catrina has arrived. Shall I send them in?". Raleigh turned to look at Catra waiting for approval before Catra nodded. Raleigh turned back to the nurse and said, "Yes, you shall". The nurse nodded and said, "Doctor Owens wants you Loyd" before leaving the feline and nurse by themselves.

Catra quirked a brow and asked, "Well are you going to go accompany Doctor Owens?". Raleigh sighed and asked, "Will you be alright?". Catra scoffed and said, "You know it, dont worry about me ok Raleigh?". Raleigh nodded and grabbed the knob of the door, and opened it before turning to look at Catra over her shoulder and saying, "Just know you will always have a friend in me..."

Catra nodded and smiled as she watched the woman walk away.

To be continued...