I woke up alone in the room. It was hard to adapt to all the lights above me, but as I came to my senses I started to realize everything around me. I heard beeping, then noticed that I was hooked up to machines again. I had been in this situation often, and when I was fully able I pressed my button to call the nurse.
"Oh, you're up!" she said, "We were expecting you to be out for another day or so." She was a young nurse, but knew what she was doing. She came over and helped me sit up in my bed, telling me that I had been out for about a week and that my family had just left to get something to eat. She asked if I wanted her to retrieve them, but I declined. I wanted them to have some alone time because I knew they were probably worried for the time I was out.
About an hour passed, I was lucky enough to wake up just in time for an episode of ANTM to be on. About twenty-five minutes into the episode mom and dad walked in. Mom saw I was awake and rushed over, hugging me but carefully avoided the various things that they had put into me while I was out. Mom started rambling, "How long have you been awake? Why didn't you get the nurse to get us? How are you feeling?" She went on and on until I stopped her. Dad had found his way over and kissed me on the top of my head and then sat in the chair, smiling as mom went on her rant.
"So what's the news, what have they decided to do with me now?" Right as I finished Dr. Maria walked in and answered, "This is it. There's no more. Your scare was big enough that you got moved up on the transplant list. While only one of you lungs were changed out, we were able to leave the last one. You are now cancer free. The bad news though, you have to keep your oxygen because your lungs still function the same due to the lack of adaptation and the fact that you still only operate at fifty percent."
I was awestruck. I looked at the three people in the room, and realized something. "Where is Augustus?" I started to panic, sweating profusely. Mom put a hand on my shoulder. "Honey, you know that in ICU you can only have family members, but I promise you that he has been here every day waiting for you. You can see him when you are cleared."
"Can I talk to him? I don't have to see him, but I at least want to hear his voice," I looked at mom and then dad. Surprisingly it was Dr. Maria that answered. "Cell phones aren't permitted in ICU," I slumped back into my bed. "However," she looked off to my right and smiled, "there is a hardline sitting right there with no restrictions on it." Mom had already had it in her hands and gave it to me. "I think we should leave her alone," Dr. Maria said as her, mom, and dad all walked out of the room.
I dialed the phone so quickly that I messed up the number the first time. When I finally got it right it rang. Once…..twice…..then a third time. I started to get weary. Right as the third ring started to end there was an answer. "Hello?" That voice, I never thought I could miss it so much. "Okay." That's all I could say. I couldn't muster anything else from my vocal cords, just that one word. You could hear his smile as he laughed. "Hazel Grace, so nice to hear you are conscious again."