will you be able to do the X-ray?"
“As soon as possible.”
After that, everything went quickly. They organized the X-rays and when they got the results, the Doctor spoke with Megan. They had to give Juliet oxygen because her oxygen levels were too low. She had a lung infection and was going to be kept in the hospital for a few days.
At first, they thought she had a pneumonia but now they were going in a different direction. Her condition was serious and she needed antibiotics in order to clear her airways. I wanted to stay there with Megan and give her my support. Juliet was fast asleep, an effect of the medication she'd been given. She looked like a little angel lying on the bed.
Megan was lost in thought as she watched over her little girl. I didn’t want to distract her and thought she might need some time to be alone. I quietly left the room and went in search of the cafeteria to buy snacks and coffee. I truly hated hospitals, everything felt so impersonal and the whole place smelled like hand sanitizer. After my stay in hospital after my injury, I'd sworn I'd never enter another one, but this was different. My new friend needed me. Her husband was away, she had to deal with this situation alone and I wanted to give her the support she needed.
I returned to Juliet's room with a couple of containers of fruit salad, packets of cookies and coffee. Megan had fallen asleep next to the bed, her head resting on the mattress. I sat in the chair by the wall and waited quietly for her to wake up again.
While I waited, I listened to the steady hum of conversation in the corridor. There were a lot of action around the ward. I heard nurses and doctors talking just outside the door and realized they were discussing Juliet. I thought they might be about to come in.
As predicted, they walked in and went directly to Juliet's side. Megan woke at the sound of their voices and looked disorientated as she glanced around, trying to get her bearings.
''How is she doing?'' the Doctor asked.
‘‘She’s been sleeping since she had the medication. Her breathing seems better.''
''Yes, it does, but we'll still need to keep her under observation for another forty-eight hours.''
While the Doctor and Megan were talking, the nurse took Juliet's temperature and checked her blood pressure. She made careful notes on the clipboard which had been hooked on the end of the bed. ''Her fever has reduced, but her temperature is still higher than normal.''
The doctor and nurse continued to discuss Juliet's condition, but I got overwhelmed by all the medical jargon. It reminded me of how I'd felt when I woke up for the first time in the hospital after the bombing. All I could hear was the medical staff, discussing my condition. I could barely see, my vision was blurry and the pain in my head was unbearable, but I remembered looking up to find them all watching me like I was some sort of freak.
I was brought back to reality and Juliet's hospital room when I heard Megan calling my name.
''Avery, are you okay?'' she asked me with a look of concern.
I nodded and tried to get my head together. ''Yes, I’m sorry. I’m okay.'' I took a few seconds to force myself to relax, my body had tensed as I processed the memories.
Megan repeated everything the doctor had said, which confirmed that Juliet's condition was already a lot better than when we'd arrived.
''I’m going to spend the night here. You can go home and sleep in your own bed.''
''No, I'll stay with you. You can sleep and I'll watch over Juliet. I'm used to being up for long hours and at night. You need to rest.''
''No... I can't let you do that.''
''Of course you can.''
She looked at me, astonished. She was probably expecting me to go home for the night. But I felt a responsibility to do it. She was exhausted, I could see it in her eyes. Her skin looked pale too. She had dealt with a lot of stress today. I could catch up on my sleep tomorrow, it wasn’t a problem.
''I’m going to
“As soon as possible.”
After that, everything went quickly. They organized the X-rays and when they got the results, the Doctor spoke with Megan. They had to give Juliet oxygen because her oxygen levels were too low. She had a lung infection and was going to be kept in the hospital for a few days.
At first, they thought she had a pneumonia but now they were going in a different direction. Her condition was serious and she needed antibiotics in order to clear her airways. I wanted to stay there with Megan and give her my support. Juliet was fast asleep, an effect of the medication she'd been given. She looked like a little angel lying on the bed.
Megan was lost in thought as she watched over her little girl. I didn’t want to distract her and thought she might need some time to be alone. I quietly left the room and went in search of the cafeteria to buy snacks and coffee. I truly hated hospitals, everything felt so impersonal and the whole place smelled like hand sanitizer. After my stay in hospital after my injury, I'd sworn I'd never enter another one, but this was different. My new friend needed me. Her husband was away, she had to deal with this situation alone and I wanted to give her the support she needed.
I returned to Juliet's room with a couple of containers of fruit salad, packets of cookies and coffee. Megan had fallen asleep next to the bed, her head resting on the mattress. I sat in the chair by the wall and waited quietly for her to wake up again.
While I waited, I listened to the steady hum of conversation in the corridor. There were a lot of action around the ward. I heard nurses and doctors talking just outside the door and realized they were discussing Juliet. I thought they might be about to come in.
As predicted, they walked in and went directly to Juliet's side. Megan woke at the sound of their voices and looked disorientated as she glanced around, trying to get her bearings.
''How is she doing?'' the Doctor asked.
‘‘She’s been sleeping since she had the medication. Her breathing seems better.''
''Yes, it does, but we'll still need to keep her under observation for another forty-eight hours.''
While the Doctor and Megan were talking, the nurse took Juliet's temperature and checked her blood pressure. She made careful notes on the clipboard which had been hooked on the end of the bed. ''Her fever has reduced, but her temperature is still higher than normal.''
The doctor and nurse continued to discuss Juliet's condition, but I got overwhelmed by all the medical jargon. It reminded me of how I'd felt when I woke up for the first time in the hospital after the bombing. All I could hear was the medical staff, discussing my condition. I could barely see, my vision was blurry and the pain in my head was unbearable, but I remembered looking up to find them all watching me like I was some sort of freak.
I was brought back to reality and Juliet's hospital room when I heard Megan calling my name.
''Avery, are you okay?'' she asked me with a look of concern.
I nodded and tried to get my head together. ''Yes, I’m sorry. I’m okay.'' I took a few seconds to force myself to relax, my body had tensed as I processed the memories.
Megan repeated everything the doctor had said, which confirmed that Juliet's condition was already a lot better than when we'd arrived.
''I’m going to spend the night here. You can go home and sleep in your own bed.''
''No, I'll stay with you. You can sleep and I'll watch over Juliet. I'm used to being up for long hours and at night. You need to rest.''
''No... I can't let you do that.''
''Of course you can.''
She looked at me, astonished. She was probably expecting me to go home for the night. But I felt a responsibility to do it. She was exhausted, I could see it in her eyes. Her skin looked pale too. She had dealt with a lot of stress today. I could catch up on my sleep tomorrow, it wasn’t a problem.
''I’m going to
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