A/N: Hello everyone. I've spent a lot of time on this one - but don't worry, I didn't push myself. It's a long chapter. I wanted to make it good for you because I won't be writing anything tomorrow. I have a friend coming to spend the day with me so I'll pick it back up again on Wednesday. The next update will probably be on Thursday. So I wanted to leave you with something worth your while - I hope you agree it is. I've put a lot of effort into it.
Yali.Page - to answer you're question: When someone below the age 18 gets ME, they have more of a chance to recover from it. They'll go into remission. But it's not certain. You can have it for the rest of your life. If you get ME between the ages 20-40, you more than likely won't recover. I added the part about Bella's doctor saying '12-18 months' because it's what a lot of doctors say to you when you're first diagnosed. Bella started with symptoms in February 2016 and it is now January 2018... So her doctor got it wrong.I hope this answers your question.
Someone (guest) requested an Angela pov for her choices and thoughts through her bad decisions. I'll attempt it once I've finished the story if you'd like? Is that something more of you would be interested in? Any of you can request a pov or outtake that you want to read. I'll try to write them after the main story is finished.
Just a reminder... Bella pushed herself a little too far and ended up in hospital. This chapter is her time in hospital.
Thank you for all the supportive reviews. Keep 'em coming. I hope you enjoy.
KS.reader
Chapter 9: The Visitors
I hate staying in hospital over night. It's so uncomfortable. I just want my bed, it's the only thing I can think about all night. Here, the pillows aren't fluffed enough, the duvet isn't thick enough, the mattress is too lumpy. Everything is just wrong. And the smell... yuk!
I know this crash is going to be bad. I've learnt the signs since getting this illness; One of them is how I sleep when the crash is just beginning. If I sleep the night through with minor interruptions, it's going to be a small crash. However, if my sleep is broken and constantly disrupted, the crash is going to be bad. It's going to be on a level I'm not prepared for. I can never be ready for the severe crashes. They're unpredictable!
This time, my night is horrible; effectively making my dad's horrible as well. The love from earlier remains... but the hope slips away with every obstacle we face. It's just one thing after another.
I sleep okay from 10pm, only disturbed a couple times by the usual muscle and joint pain. Midnight is when the problems begin...
For just over an hour, my body temperature goes from one extreme to the next: one minute I'm freezing and Charlie puts extra blankets over me. Almost instantly I'm boiling and he pulls them back off. It's a viscous cycle. The night starts to settle down and we both drift off to sleep at about 1.15am.
I'm woken the next time by irritation. It feels like somethings crawling over my face, tickling me. What is that? It starts near my left temple, creeping round my eye and over my cheek. It climbs the bridge of my nose and slides down the slope of my other cheek. It stops close to my ear, taking a break, then continuing on with it's venture. It traces the line of my jaw before circling round the point of my chin and wondering up to my right temple.
I attempt to bring my right hand up to my face, to swipe away whatever it is, but find I can't. It should be a simple, easy action, right? Well no! Not for me it's not! I can't move my arm... at all. It weighs a thousand tonne. I CAN NOT move it. I try with all my might, but it doesn't budge. It feels like someone or something is sat on my arm. It's immovable. I become distressed very quickly.
I grip the duvet with my left hand. The IV is still in my left forearm. I prefer having it inserted in my hand, but they have to mix it up sometimes; give the veins in my hand a break. The only reason I still have an IV is so they can keep monitoring my drug intake easily.
I start breathing heavier. Shallow breaths slowly turning into loud pants. I begin shaking, sweat dripping from my skin. I want to know why I can't move my arm.
I've heard of ME patients experiencing temporary paralysis, but luckily for me, that has never happened. I know I've said that pain paralyzes me, but if I tried moving when I've said that, I could. This time, I can't. My arms not even hurting too much - just a dull throb - but I still can't move it.
The distress turns into gut-wrenching terror. My vision begins to blur due to my irregular breathing. Clenching my eyes shut, I try to clear my mind.
"Bella? Bells! Calm down. What's wrong? Bella. Shit!" I hear Charlie say.
"Bella dear. It's Serena. I need you to calm down. Everything's fine." Nurse Serena is here? Charlie must have called her when he saw me freaking out.
With both of them here, talking to me and trying to calm me down, I slowly start to settle. My breathing slows down to a normal pace and my vision clears. I look up through my tears at Charlie, he sighs in relief. "Welcome back kiddo." he says to me. I try to smile, but I'm too tired to move the muscles in my face. I try to hum but I don't think any noise comes out.
"What's wrong Bella. Can you tell us?" Serena asks. Since I can't talk, I roll my head to the right. It hurts, but I manage. I nod my head once, motioning to my right arm. "Your shoulder?" Serena guesses. I remain silent. Hopefully, they'll take that as a 'no'. "Your arm?" she guesses again. I lazily nod once.
"Okay. Try and get some sleep. Its 3 in the morning. You can tell us later what was wrong." my dad says. Thank God I think. I really want to sleep. As my eyes gradually close, I see Serena and Charlie walk away. I assume Serena has gone back to her station and Charlie has gone back to the extra bed they brought in here for him. My last thought before slipping into unconsciousness is, What was crawling across my face?
The last time I'm woken up during the night is due to excessive sweating. I wake up drenched in sweat. My hair is damp and sticks to my skin. The bedding is saturated with sweat. It's so uncomfortable.
"Dad." I whisper. Nothing happens. "Dad!" I whisper-yell. Still, there is no movement. "DAD!" I say louder. I'm glad my voice has returned to me. I still feel fatigued, but I can't sleep like this. Finally, I get his attention. He springs up and looks around, unsure of where he is. When his memory comes back to him, he whips his head round to me. Quicker then I can perceive, he's off of the bed and next to me.
When he's close enough to see me in the low lighting, he immediately takes a step back. "Woah! Shit Bells. You're soaked!" he exclaims. Without another moment wasted, he leaves the room. I assume he's gone to get a nurse... and hopefully some more bed sheets.
Five minutes later, he returns with Nurse Selena in tow. He walks over to the bedside table and turns the lamp on. It momentarily sears my eyes and I have to close them. Once the spots that cloak my vision have vanished, I open them again. Serena and my dad stand on either side of my bed, giving me the time I need to adjust.
I look up at the clock above the door. It's 4.12 in the morning. Ugh! I'm sick of this night. Why is it lasting so long?
"Alright Bella, let's get you moved so the sheets can be stripped. I'll take you into the bathroom to clean you up. I don't think I'll help you shower tonight, you must be tired. But I'll help you change out of these pyjamas for now." she tells me. I'm thankful she's not going to make me shower. I don't have the energy. I'll try to have one in the morning.
Skillfully, all three of us work together. As always, Charlie slips his hand under my shoulders and helps me sit up. He grimaces when his hand touches the sheets. His face screws up even more when he comes in contact with my back. It must be really bad. Serena walks round the bed with the IV stand as Charlie turns my legs and body to face him. He picks me up and places me in the wheelchair. Serena passes him the stand and pushes me into the bathroom. Charlie follows us inside and quickly departs from the room, mumbling that he'll strip the sheets on his way out.
Serena wets a flannel for me to wipe over my face and the back of my neck. She helps me change out of my fleece pyjamas - no wonder I was sweating so much - into some thinner ones.
Once we're done with everything, she opens the bathroom door to see what my father is doing. Charlie is just finishing his task, fluffing the newly dressed pillows. He sees us in the doorway and rushes over to grab the IV stand. We make our way to the freshly made bed.
Charlie lifts me from the chair and puts me in the bed. Serena rolls the stand back to its original place. "Is there anything else you guys need?" she asks us.
"No. I think we're okay now Serena. Thank you for helping." My dad replies. I want to thank her, but I'm already drifting off to sleep. She says something else before leaving, but I can't make out what it is. Soon, I'm asleep again.
At 6am, I wake up. I open my eyes, squinting in attempt to sharpen my blurred vision. I turn my head to look over at my dad's bed, but he's not there. He's probably in the bathroom. I try to move my head back to its previous position, but I can't. A shooting pain fires up the side of my neck. I wince, and just then, light slips into the room as the bathroom door opens.
Charlie walks in and automatically glances at me. He rushes over to me, places one hand on the exposed part of my neck. With his other hand, he pushes against my temple and slowly helps me turn my head forward again. "Better?" he asks quietly. "Yes." I whisper, though it's really not. My neck now has a constant throb pulsing through it.
"How's the rest of you? In any pain?" he asks. I can't nod so I'm going to have to speak.
"My...l-legs... are... th-th-throb-b-bing. Ar-arms are... sssssore." I stutter out. I stop to take a breath. "B-b-back is... Eer..." then my mind goes blank. I have no idea what I was going to say. My brow furrows in confusion. I try and try to figure out my words but they're gone.
"It's okay Bells. Just rest." he says to me. I'm about to close my eyes when the door opens.
Nurse Patricia comes in. "Oh. Morning guys. I didn't think you'd be awake yet. Just came to check on you." she says. Her voice doesn't sound normal. Every word she says echoes around me, bouncing off the walls. It makes my head spin. I close my eyes. "Bella dear, are you okay?" I hear her say. She probably spoke in a normal volume but to me, she's shouting. I whimper and withdraw into myself, trying to sink into the bed.
I hear voices around me but I don't catch what's being said. I hear the odd word: "morphine", "fog", "can't". None of it makes sense. I give up trying to concentrate and fall asleep.
The smell of food wakes me up. I open my eyes and look to the right. Charlie is sat in the chair beside my bed with a tray of food. Damn I'm hungry! My belly rumbles loudly. So loud that Charlie turns his head to look at me.
"Hey Bella. You hungry?" he asks. My stomach answers for me, grumbling it's approval. He chuckles, "Okay. I guess that's a yes. I'll go and tell a nurse. I think Patricia's still on shift." He puts his tray down and leaves the room.
While I'm waiting, I try moving different parts of my body. First I rotate my wrists, they seem fine. Next, I try lifting my arms slightly off of the bed; they feel heavy and achy. Afterwards, I shrug my shoulders; they throb, the pain bursting across my shoulder blades. Lastly, I move my head from side to side. Each movement pulls at my neck and I have to stop. I come to the conclusion that the pain isn't as bad as it was earlier, but it's still bad.
The TV is on, providing a low buzz of noise in the room. I look up at it - not moving my head, just my eyes - and see the 10 o'clock news is on. Did I really sleep for another 4 hours?
Charlie enters with Patricia behind him. She's pushing a cart. Charlie sits back down to carry on eating. Patricia offers me some toast and orange juice, which I readily accept.
Twenty minutes later, I finish eating my breakfast... just in time because I need the toilet. I go through the same process as yesterday. A nurse and my father working together to get me up, into the bathroom. Whilst in there, I ask Patricia to help me shower. It takes 45 minutes and I don't have a thorough one, but I still feel cleaner then I was before.
After the shower I feel nauseous. Before I know it, I'm vomiting all over the floor. All the toast and juice from earlier leaving my system. I apologise, embarrassed. Patricia says she'll clean it up and starts helping me dress. Once I'm back in the bed, dressed in lounge wear, I feel exhaustion sweep over me. Patricia gives me some morphine and I go to sleep again.
I can hear my name being called. It sounds distant. Gradually, the voice gets closer and closer, until it's right in my ear. I open my eyes, blinking the sleep from them. Charlie is stood in front of me. He has my allergy mask in one hand and his phone in the other. I look up to his face and see a stupid grin plastered on it. What is he up to?
"Hi daddy." I manage to say. It comes out just above a whisper, and very croaky.
"Hi Bells. How are you feeling?" he asks.
"Not the best." I say. My pillow feels uncomfortable beneath my head. I'm sick and tired of lying down. "Can I sit up for a bit?" I request. He nods, puts his phone down and uses the remote to control my bed.
I close my eyes as the top half gradually rises, bringing me up into a slanted upright position. I'm still somewhat led down. As the bed moves, bending me slightly, I feel it in my spine. The movement is causing my spine and ribs to ache and cramp. Once it stills, so do I. I'm afraid to move, afraid to feel anymore pain then I already do. Eventually I relax. As I settle into the mattress I close my eyes. The peace is welcome, it's just what I need.
I can feel someone staring at me. I reluctantly open my eyes. Charlie is still stood next to me, looking at me anxiously. Seriously, I think to myself, what is he up to? After staying silent for an exaggerated beat, he takes a breath and speaks.
"Are you up for some visitors?" he asks cautiously, holding up the mask. Aah! It makes sense now. I was wondering why he was holding that. When I'm crashing, I wear an allergy mask if I'm outside or around people other then my dad and nurses.
A crash causes everything in me to weaken; my brain, my muscles, my joints and my immune system. When I'm crashing, I'm more prone to getting other illnesses, viruses and infections.
My first crash happened in December 2016, ten months after my first symptom, and three months after my diagnosis. It was the time when I was out of school for two months. It was the worst I've been with this illness... well until now. Because it was my first crash, me and Charlie didn't know how to handle it. We freaked out when I passed out a week into the crash. He rushed me to the hospital, where I started with a fever. I was coughing, vomiting, had chest pains, and so much more. They ran some tests and discovered I had severe pneumonia. We think I caught it from school and that's what caused the crash. I was in hospital for a week, fighting the bacteria. When I was home and resting, Charlie started researching ways to prevent me catching illnesses when crashing. He didn't want it happening every time. He joined a support forum on Facebook and started speaking to other parents who have children affected by ME. He asked them and was told that it would be best to get an allergy mask.
My allergy mask covers the bottom half of my face. It has two straps that wrap around each ear to hold it in place. There are two filters on each side of it as well. These filter out the bad from the air I breathe in, so I'm breathing in nothing but clean oxygen. It's has a blue army pattern on it. When I wear it, I feel like Batman's enemy, Bane.
My eyes widen and my heart picks up speed. I never have people visit me while I'm in the hospital. No one visits when I'm resting at home either. This will be a first. I think about it for a minute. He's probably referring to Sue and the kids? Do I want them to see me this way? The lights will probably have to be on, so I'll need my glasses.
Light sensitivity is caused by photophobia - which literally translates to 'fear of light'. I started with it about four months after my ME began. When it kicks in whislt I'm watching TV, I put on some normal sunglasses. However, when the photophobia starts and I'm in a well lit room - like the Cullen's dining room for example - or outside, I wear special tinted glasses. They filter the harmful wavelengths, blocking the bad light, to provide natural photophobia relief. I have two pairs; one for outside and one for inside.
With them and the mask, they won't be able to see most of my face. But I really want to see them. I want to know if Seth's feeling any better.
Charlie remains stood next to me, holding up the mask. "Yes. I think I am." I finally reply. He passes me the mask and goes over to my bag that Sue brought in yesterday evening. He pulls out the glasses and gives them to me. I place the mask on my face, hooking it round my ears. I put the glasses on and give my dad a weak thumbs up.
I hate wearing the mask. I can't speak when it's on. Well I could but no one would be able to understand me. Charlie says he'll be back in a minute. He leaves the room. I chance a glance at the clock above the door. It's midday. The door opening again grabs my attention.
Charlie walks back through. He flicks the switch and the lights flicker on. I instinctively close my eyes, forgetting about the glasses. Almost straight away I open them again. I think its just him as the door begins to close behind him. Just before it clicks back into its hinges, it swings open.
Five people enter the room. What? Who? I recognise them but I can't remember their names. I turn my head to Charlie, noticing my necks not as sore as before. He must see my eyebrows pull together, over the rim of the glasses.
He sighs, looks down and closes his eyes. Was he expecting a different reaction? He rubs his eyes with his thumb and index finger. Slowly, he raises his head to look at the visitors.
I look over at them. The two women and the tallest man are looking at me with shock. The oldest man is looking at me with sympathy. And the other one, the most handsome one, is looking at me with guilt. Guilt?
Charlie begins to speak, so I turn my attention back to him. "I'm sorry guys." he addresses the guests. "She doesn't remember you. It's cognitive dysfunction, better known as brain fog. It causes problems with her short-term memory, concentration and tasks like speaking, reading and writing. She'll just need reminding and it will all come back to her." he tells them. So I do know them?
I hear gasps and look at the other people in the room. The two women are the source of the gasps. They have tears in their eyes. The two youngest men look shocked and sort of angry? But the oldest man is nodding in understanding.
"Bella?" Charlie says to get my attention. "These are the Cullens." He waits for some recognition. I know that name. They're new in town. But I don't know they're individual names. He sighs. "Carlisle is a doctor. And this is his wife Esme, and their children, Emmett, Edward and Alice." he informs me. Oh yeah* I remember now. I had a project at their house yesterday. I was so stupid!
I nod my head, telling them that I remember. I swear everyone releases a breath of relief. "Carlisle, why don't you and me go see if we can find some more chairs so you can all sit down?" he offers. Carlisle nods and begins to follow my father out of the room. Before Charlie places his hand on the doorknob, he turns his attention to the others. "Only ask questions she can nod and shake her head to. The mask doesn't allow her to speak very well." he informs them before walking out.
They all look at one another before looking at me. Alice begins crying and speedwalks towards me. I know she's going to hug me, possibly hard, so I begin to shake my head. She stops when she reaches my bedside. He eyes glisten with tears. She leans down, slower this time, and puts her head next to mine in a sort of contactless hug. Sniffling in my ear, she slowly rises. "Are you okay?" she asks. I begin nodding but realise that's a lie, so I just shrug.
The action hurts my shoulders and I freeze. Carefully, I relax again. Esme comes to stand next to Alice. She smiles gently at me and places her hand on mine. "Are you in pain Bella?" she asks me. I don't want to lie so I nod, regrettably. "Do you need me to get a nurse?" I shake my head. It's no more than what I'm used to. And I don't want to rely on the morphine. I've already had more then I like.
Emmett's loud footsteps make their way over to me. Alice and Esme move away. He takes their place. "Hey Bella. You look awesome. Like Bane met with the Men In Black and they traded fashion tips." he says... loudly. I wince at the volume, then laugh at this comment. He looks apologetic but laughs along with me.
"Emmett!" Esme hisses at him. "Lower your voice!" He turns to her with his head down lowered and mumbles a "sorry". I laugh again. It's shocking how someone so big can be intimidated by someone so small. He turns to me and winks before walking away. He goes over to a shelf that's on the wall furthest from me, and begins playing with rubber gloves and other equipment. Esme moves to him and they begin quietly arguing. I giggle.
Edward slowly, and reluctantly, walks towards me. He can't look me in the eye. I don't blame him. I must look horrendous right now. Eventually, he raises his head and looks at my face. He closes his eyes immediately. Standing there for a few minutes, with his eyes closed, he seems to be having a war within himself.
I cautiously reach my left hand out to him. It hurts; pulling at my muscles and clicking my joints, but I manage it. At last, my hand comes into contact with his arm that hangs at his side. His eyes snap open and stare at where we connect. Gradually, he raises his head again. A small smile appears on his face. There it is. My smile. The happiness in his eyes is gone as quick as it emerged, as is the smile. His eyes glaze over.
"I'm so sorry Bella." he whispers so only I can hear. I glance around him to see his mother and siblings are occupied. "I should've been more observant. I should've realised that we didn't take a break. And now you're in here. I've made you worse and you don't know how sorry I feel. I'm such an idiot. I mean, I'm a doctors son for gods sake! I should've been more careful." The more he talks, the more hysterical he gets. I want to speak and tell him to stop blaming himself. That it's not his fault. It's not! It's mine!
I squeeze his hand as tight as I can. To him it must be a small pressure, but it gets him to stop talking. He focuses on me again. I shake my head, telling him to stop. He just looks down. I remove my hand from his arm, reaching up to remove the mask so I can tell him what he needs to know.
At that moment, the door opens, signalling Charlie and Carlisle's entry. "Bella, don't even think about it" Charlie says with a struggle as he carries some chairs into the room. Edward whips his head up to look at me. Emmet rushes over to help the dads carry the chairs. Two are placed on the left side of my bed, one next to Charlie's and two along the wall near the shelf. Edward and Alice sit on my left, Charlie and Carlisle on my right, Emmett and Esme in the remaining seats. I feel loved; having so many people that care about me is just indescribable.
"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's happened so far?" Carlisle asks. Charlie looks to me for permission. I glance at all the occupants in the room. Making up my mind, I turn to my dad and nod. I don't want to keep anything from them anymore. It's time they know everything. So, before my dad can start speaking, I lift my hand. He leans closer to me so he can hear me speak.
"Everything." I say. My voice is muffled by the mask.
"Are you sure?" he asks. I nod assuringly. He turns to them to begin telling my story. "I'll tell you it all from the beginning, if you'd like to know?" Charlie asks them. I watch as they all nod; some eager, some apprehensive. "Alright then. Please don't interrupt me to ask any questions. It's gonna be hard enough." Charlie takes a deep breath, preparing himself for what he is about to say.
"In February 2016 Bella started with some pain in her side. Doctors didn't know what it was. Fatigue soon followed. She couldn't stay awake long enough to eat. All she did was sleep. She had no energy. We didn't know what was happening. Doctors said 'she's just being a normal teenager', 'she's going through a growth spurt', 'it will pass'. But it didn't. It was getting worse and worse." Carlisle shakes his head at this.
"Eventually we were referred to a paediatrician. He diagnosed her with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, ME. You may have heard it as CFS. It's a very complex illness. We'd never heard of it so we were stuck about what to do. The doctor tried making her exercise - that didn't work. It made her worse. Her pain got worse, her walking. Everything. He tried to get her to see a psychologist - I said no to that straight away. She doesn't need to see one. He says that it's all in her head, that she just needs to think happy thoughts and it will all go away. Whatever. Let's just say he's not a lot of help!" Carlisle is getting angrier and angrier with every word my father says.
"What happened yesterday was what you call a crash. It's when her symptoms all get worse at the same time. It occurs after an overuse of energy. Yesterday she didn't take a break during her and Edward's work. It's not your fault Edward. She knows better." Edward sighs in relief, now knowing the full story. I'm glad Charlie put his mind at rest.
"I was bothered by the timing though. A crash doesn't usually happen until 24 hours after the overuse in energy. This was straight away, within 3 hours. I spoke to her doctor and he said the amount of concentration caused her to be dehydrated and that may be what sped up the process. He's not certain though." Carlisle nods his approval at this. This is news to me, it does make sense though.
"To fill you in Carlisle, last night was... awful. Cold and hot episodes, excessive sweating, paralysis. It was just awful. This is the worst she's been since it all started." He sighs in relief when he's finished. Towards the end, he was getting choked up. I wiggle the fingers on my right hand. He reaches out and holds my hand. He needs the support... so do I.
I look at everyone's faces, person by person. Carlisle looks to be in deep concentration. Esme has her eyes closed, a single tear escapes, rolling down her cheek. Emmett has one arm around her, the other holding his head, like there's too much information in there. Alice is crying quietly, frequently wiping her face with the sleeve of her top. Edward's looking straight at me, tears pooling but not tipping over the edge. He's holding my left hand in his own, casually stroking his thumb back and forth.
The most emotional thing for me is, none of them look at me with pity. They just look at me with love and admiration. They're all here because they want to be. They don't feel guilted into being my friend, like Angela did. They just want to be. It's the best feeling in the world.
The room is silent, save for the sniffling coming from the women. Alice is the first to speak. "I knew you get tired and you can't walk, but I didn't realise you had something so serious. You live with pain everyday, all day?" she asks in astonishment. I don't know if she wants me to answer, but I nod anyway. "You're so amazing Bella." she expresses. I smile, though she can't see it.
"So what's with the mask and glasses?" Emmett asks. Esme slaps him on the back of the head, scolding him. I chuckle - it's so funny to see them together! Charlie snickers as well. He looks at me and I nod, signalling that he should answer.
"Well Emmett, the glasses are because of photophobia. She wears them when she gets light sensitivity. The lights are on in here so she needs to wear them. The mask is an allergy mask. When she's crashing, she's more vulnerable to getting illnesses, infections and viruses. The mask filters the oxygen so it's clear of bacteria." he answers. Everyone nods in understanding.
"Bella. Has your doctor ever mentioned pacing?" Carlisle asks. I shake my head hesitantly. He shakes his head and mumbles something under his breath that I don't catch. Charlie barks out a laugh and Carlisle turns to smirk at him. I'm glad they're getting on. "What about doing activity diaries?" he asks. I shake my head again. He scoffs, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair. He thinks for a moment. "That's disgraceful. I'm gonna mention that to the hospitals Director. He should've told you. Basically pacing is someth-" he's interrupted by the door opening.
No knock to signal the intruders entrance. No announcement. I shouldn't be surprised. Dr. Price walks to the end of my bed and puts his chart and stethescope down on my feet. I wince when the diaphragm of the stethescope bounces up and lands harshly onto my ankles. It whacks against the bone. I think everyone can hear it - everyone except Dr. Price. He carries on like nothing happened.
As I sit there in pain, Dr. Price begins to speak. My brain fog creeps again and I have to work hard to concentrate. "Right Bella. You no longer need the IV in, so I'll get a nurse to come and remove it shortly. You've had enough morphine I think, you should be able to leave in a cou-" he says. He doesn't get to finish. Carlisle interrupts him. He's stood now, towering over Dr. Price.
"Excuse me. Have you asked if she wants us all in the room while you talk to her? Have you heard of patient confidentiality? Or common courtesy for that matter?" He declares with authority in his voice. Dr. Price looks like a fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth, searching for words. Carlisle raises an eyebrow in question.
"Well... I... I..." he stutters. His face goes from startled to determined in one second. "Please don't tell me how to do my job. Who do you think you are? If you'd like to leave, you know where the door is." Ha! I want to laugh but I hold it in. Emmett isn't so cautious. Dr. Price smirks, thinking Emmet's laughing at his comeback. But he's not. Dr. Price doesn't realise that he's speaking to his new boss!
"My names Carlisle. Carlisle Cullen. Head of Paediatric department as of tomorrow." He let's that sink in. Dr. Price goes as white as a ghost. He looks everywhere except at Carlisle. "The way you have treated this patient is appalling. I'll be speaking to the Hospital Director, so expect a call. Now, leave! I'll handle Bella's duties. From now on, she's my patient." Carlisle says. I smile underneath my mask. I can't believe it! I'm so happy right now. Dr. Price flees the room without another word. Ha! Take that!
"Really? Can you be Bella's doctor?" my father asks hopefully. Carlisle nods and I feel a grin stretch across my face.
"Yes I can. I'll get all the paperwork sorted out this week. And I'll be seeing what can be done about that man. Are you okay Bella? He dropped his things quite carelessly." He asks. I nod, still shocked that I will no longer be one of Dr. Price's patients. I'm ecstatic.
"Thank you." I say quietly. The mask blocks my voice. Carlisle steps closer and leans in. I repeat my words. He smiles.
"You're welcome." I'm so happy... and emotional. Tears start falling from my eyes. This sets Esme and Alice off. We all begin crying and the guys get uncomfortable. They announce that they'll go and get some food, and Carlisle will get a nurse.
When they leave, all three of us begin laughing. I stop a few seconds later, a wave of fatigue hitting me. I tilt my head to the side and start to close my eyes. I hear Esme and Alice as they start to whisper to each other. Soon, I'm asleep.
Low chatter is all I hear around me. It's a welcome sound; a sign that I have people in my life who care. I open my eyes and see Edward sat with Emmett directly in front of my eyes. My head is tilted to the left. Emmett is talking animatedly, waving his hands around in bug gestures. He's managing to stay hushed because I've been asleep... that's an accomplishment for him. Edward is listening to him, but he's staring at me, watching while I sleep.
I try and move but everything hurts. I notice that I'm led down again. Charlie must've changed my bed angle whilst I was asleep. I want to sit up again. My back is in agony. The mattress feels like concrete underneath me. My back, shoulders, and hips ache and feel stiff. I start breathing heavily, trying to work through the pain.
The room goes silent as everyone stares at me. Tears start to fall from my eyes and down my cheeks, soaking into the material of my mask. Charlie is out of his chair first, coming to me and asking what hurts. Through the mask I tell him "My back. Sit up." He picks up the remote and quickly raises the top half of the bed. The whole time I wish it could go faster. Once I'm sat up, the pain in my back lessens. It remains in my hips and shoulders but is slightly relieved from the majority of my back.
Esme isn't in the room. She enters moments later with Nurse Diane behind her. "Aah Bella. Need some more medicine?" she asks. I nod, instantly regretting the motion. My neck clicks audibly. Everyone winces in the room. I cry out a small whimper, the throb invading the top of my spine. Ow!
She passes me some tablets; morphine tablets. Why not the fluid? Oh yes! My IV needs to be removed. After taking the tablets, I look down at my left arm, ready for it to be removed. But it's not there. "Oh. I removed that while you were sleeping Bella. I know how much you hate that part. You know the drill, just leave the bandage on for a minimum of 8 hours and all that." Diane tells me.
I try to nod, but the pain prevents me. I raise my hand to touch hers. She smiles and grabs it, giving it a squeeze before asking me if I'm hungry. I am. I squeeze once and she leaves the room to get me some food.
Everyone was watching the exchange with a smile. Charlie reminds me of my mask. "Bells. You can remove the mask to eat but then it has to go back on." he tells me. I smile and reach up to unhook the straps. I pull it off and grin at everyone sheepishly.
"Hey guys." I say. Everyone smiles at me and greets me properly for the first time. Chatter fills the room again. I don't talk much, not wanting to expell loads of energy.
Diane enters the room carrying a tray filled with soup and bread. She places the bed tray over my thighs, I thank her and eat it all up... probably quicker then I should've. Dad takes the tray from me. He allows me to keep the mask off for a while, so I can finish my glass of water.
When the glass is empty I get a flush of heat. Me stomach begins churning. I feel nauseous. I must make a noise of discomfort because Charlie's head whips to me. He jumps out of his seat and rushes for the sick bucket that sits on the floor under the shelf. He runs over to me and shoves it into my hands. Just in time as well because I empty my stomach of all its substance.
I feel so embarrassed. I've just puked in front of everyone. My throat feels raw afterwards. Charlie switches the bucket with a wet rag, so I can wipe my mouth. "Sorry." I mumble. Everyone rushes to tell me to stop. I close my eyes and pick up the mask, putting it back on. I need something to hide my red cheeks.
The talking picks up again. I think everyone wants to distract me from what's just happened. I reach over to the bedside table and pick up the bed remote. I lower myself back down, wincing at the pain in my back. Edward picks up a spare pillow from the cart that was brought in earlier this morning, offering it to me. I thank him. Charlie takes it from him and helps place it behind my head. It's a difficult process, the pain increases and I fight the urge to cry. Once I'm settled back down, I close my eyes. Wanting to escape the real world for a while. The last thing I see is Charlie looking at me with concern, tears glazing the surface of his eyes. I sigh.
Why can't I be a normal teenager? One that can spend time with her friends for as long as she wants? One that can do a school assignment without being hospitalised? One that doesn't upset and hurt her father on a regular basis? It's all I want!
A/N: That's it guys. I wanted to show you what it's like for Bella in hopsiyal. Ill update hopefully on Thursday. I try to add chapter breakd but they never stay so sorry about that. I hope you enjoyed. Please review!KS.reader
Image links:
Allergy mask - https/images-na./images/I/71Q6OuWLjYL._SY355_.jpg
Glasses - https/cdn8./s-du14j3c/images/stencil/500x659/products/61/785/classic-theraspecs-combo_33751.1491934426.jpg?c=2imbypass=on
