Chapter 4
After that, there was a massive investigation, and the police were called in. Poison control had the hospital pump my stomach when they discovered it was lantana poison. Due to my weakened immune system from the flu and viral infection, I was placed in isolation for my own safety. All the nurses had to wear special gowns and masks, completely covering their skin. It was frustrating because I couldn't even have a conversation with them. And even if I could, I was mostly either sleeping or vomiting, leaving me with no time to communicate.
On the ninth day of being in the isolation room, my favorite nurse, Ms. Naomi, paid me a visit, holding my petite dragon in her hand. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the nurses having made a smaller version of the medical gown and mask for my stuffed animal.
"Hello, Fuyuko. You have a special visitor today. The nurses went out of their way to make sure he followed the rules, just like everyone else. It's a bit corny, right?" Ms. Naomi said, sitting down on the chair next to my bed before offering me Petite dragon.
"Thank you, Ms. Naomi. And his bandage is gone. You can't even see the stitches you did to reattach his head," I remarked, inspecting my stuffed animal carefully, being cautious not to remove the gown or mask made by the other nurses for Petite.
"Oh, yes. He's all healed up, but he's been missing you a lot. It's almost as if he's crying for you every night. But that's not why I brought him here. Petite has a message for you. Under his mask, there's a note," Ms. Naomi said, nudging me to remove the dragon-sized mask. Just as she said, I found a small, rolled-up note held by Petite. Curiosity piqued, I began to open the note.
"You have been cleared to move out of isolation," I read aloud, my eyes widening with surprise. I had been expecting one of the doctors to inform me when I would be allowed out of isolation. Although I couldn't return to the mental facility just yet due to the lingering viral infection complicating my recovery from the flu, the news was still significant.
"Dr. Saito thought it would be best if Petite told you. She wanted to wait until the other doctors agreed that your condition had improved. If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll let the nurses on the ward know that you're ready to leave," Ms. Naomi said, rising from her chair. As she did, Dr. Saito and Ms. Naomi entered the room, bringing with them a wheelchair and a thick blanket.
"Do I have to ride in the wheelchair? I want to walk," I protested, looking up at them with a pout on my face, finally resembling my actual age for once.
"I'm sorry, Fuyuko, but while you may be ready to leave isolation, you're not completely out of the woods yet," Dr. Saito replied, lowering herself to eye level with me since I had moved from the bed to the chair that Ms. Naomi had recently occupied. I knew she wasn't lying because when I had attempted to get out of bed earlier, my legs had been shaky, and it had taken me ten minutes to walk just six steps, leaving me exhausted. I sighed, acknowledging Ms. Naomi to bring over the wheelchair. Just because I needed to use it didn't mean I would allow them to carry me. I still had some pride. Once settled in the chair, with my feet tucked underneath me and petite held in my arms, I was ready to proceed.
"You must be feeling better. You're smiling, and that only happens when I bring you soup or something to read," Dr. Saito remarked, shaking her head at the scene I had made. Meanwhile, Ms. Naomi was busy draping a thick blanket around my shoulders to keep me warm. Regulating my body heat had become a significant challenge.
"Yes, getting out of isolation means I'm getting better. As for you two not helping me, it was just a matter of pride. I may be sick and confined to a hospital connected to a mental facility, but I still have my pride," I declared. Ms. Naomi then pushed the wheelchair out of the room, with Dr. Saito carrying my bag of essential items. They guided me to room 350 in the pediatric ward, where a PICC line still remained connected to my heart. Once Ms. Naomi and Dr. Saito had settled me into my new room near the window, allowing me to observe the people outside, I was left alone for about fifteen minutes.
During that time, a teenage girl with short brown hair and big brown eyes, roughly two years older than me, entered the room holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Hello, Yusaku... Oh, sorry, I thought this was Yusaku Fujiki's room," the girl said, approaching me. I sighed and glanced around the room. There was no one else here besides me. Although the bed in the adjacent corner appeared messy and slept in, I was the sole occupant of this room.
"I think you have the wrong room," I said, my gaze fixated on the window. At that moment, I didn't feel like engaging in conversation with anyone except for Ms. Naomi, who seemed to genuinely care about me, or at least that's how it appeared. I heard the girl leave, and as I turned my attention to the small green dragon on the bedside table, memories of the day I received it flooded my mind. While other kids might consider receiving a stuffed animal of this size a common occurrence, it held a special place in my heart. It was a gift handmade by my older brother with the help of the orphanage owner.
Just as I was about to pick up the small dragon, the sliding door was abruptly slammed open, and the same girl from earlier stormed into the room, clearly unhappy. A nurse followed closely behind her, wearing a stern expression.
"I told you, Ms. Mr. Fujiki checked himself out a couple of hours ago," the nurse said, moving to strip the other bed. She only paused when she noticed me observing them. If she had been drinking water, I'm sure she would have done a spit take.
"Mr. Fujiki..." the nurse said, looking at me with confusion, but her statement was cut short as Ms. Naomi entered the room, holding a tray of food in her hands.
"Fuyuko, I brought you something to eat... I know you'll probably say you're not hungry, but you need to try," Ms. Naomi said, placing the tray of beef stew on the small table in front of me. The nurse who had entered with the girl had the audacity to inquire if I was related to Yusaku Fujiki while I struggled to eat my stew.
"Yes, she is his little sister," Ms. Naomi replied, before taking a seat next to the bed, prepared with a bucket just in case. After consuming about half of the stew, I had to reach for the bucket as I began to feel sick. I had learned that most nurses didn't mind cleaning up after a patient got sick, but I still felt bad for making a mess in the first place.
"Good job, Fuyuko. You ate half of your stew... Do you want to try eating your pudding?" Ms. Naomi suggested once I handed her back the bucket. However, the mention of pudding triggered another round of vomiting, and I had to take the bucket once more. I could see the sadness on Ms. Naomi's face as she sat there, watching me. She had learned that I didn't like to be touched when I was ill, as it increased the risk of someone hurting me, and it made me an easier target. I lay back down, my hands resting limply at my sides, feeling completely drained of energy. That was when someone placed a wet cloth on my forehead, attempting to regulate my body temperature. I raised my head to see the girl from earlier sitting in Ms. Naomi's chair.
"Ms. Naomi had to step out to talk to a doctor. Before she left, she asked if I could sit with you for a few minutes... I'm Sky Zaizen, and I'm a friend of your brother, Yusaku," the girl said, smiling at me before deftly dodging the wet cloth I threw at her. I was a little angry that this girl knew my older brother when I couldn't even reach him to let him know I was in the hospital again. It didn't help that I couldn't answer most of the questions Dr. Saito had asked me because I simply didn't know the answers.
"I don't care... Leave me alone," I managed to say, struggling to breathe due to the viral infection. I turned away from her, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I knew I was being rude to the girl who was doing Ms. Naomi a favor, but I was scared and just wanted my big brother. Exhausted, I fell asleep clutching the thin hospital blankets to my chest, silently crying into the pillow beneath my head. I didn't get a wink of sleep that night as my mind refused to quiet down. By the time morning arrived, I was tired and on the verge of snapping at the next person who entered the room, if not for the fact that it was Dr. Saito, bringing me breakfast.
"Good morning, Fuyuko. How are you feeling today?" Dr. Saito asked as she approached me with a tray of food in her hands, dressed in her volunteer uniform. I glanced at her briefly before turning my gaze back to the window, observing the people below.
"I'll take that as not good... Fuyuko, do you want to try eating, or is your stomach tied in knots again?" Dr. Saito said, placing the tray on the table and taking a seat in the chair next to the bed. I looked at her and shook my head, lacking the energy to speak or attempt to eat the stale cereal she had brought.
"I know you're not feeling well, Fuyuko, but I need you to talk to me, not just shake your head yes or no," Dr. Saito said, gently pushing a strand of loose hair away from my face. I sighed, mustering the strength to sit up, but my arms gave out, proving to Dr. Saito that my condition had worsened. I don't recall much of what happened after that, but when things settled down, I found myself back in isolation, surrounded by several machines that monitored my condition and alerted the nurses if something went wrong.
From what I gathered, my heart wasn't functioning properly, and the doctors were considering the possibility of inserting a pacemaker to prevent further complications. The clock on the wall showed a little after five when Dr. Saito and Dr. Fujimata entered the room. They both wore somber expressions and stood in a way that indicated they were trying to hide something from me. I sat up a little, pushing my bangs out of my face. After spending time in isolation twice before, I had learned to read these two doctors.
"I know you're hiding something, so it would be better if you just came out and said it," I said, straightening up a bit. The pillows in isolation were much more comfortable than those in the mental facility, fluffier and offering better support. I didn't have the strength to sit upright on my own.
"I'm not sure you're going to like it, Fuyuko, but here goes nothing. The other doctors are suggesting that you're faking everything to avoid returning to the facility. The only way we can prove that you're not faking it is by conducting a series of tests. And I know you don't like that idea," Dr. Saito said, moving to sit at the foot of the hospital bed, while Dr. Fujimata took a seat in a nearby chair. I sighed, nodding my head. It was going to be a hassle, but it was a necessary step.
"Good. The first test is just a simple blood draw, which we can do through your PICC line. The other tests will be conducted over the next few days, and they're mainly to rule out any potential health risks. Now, is there anything you can remember about your medical history?" Dr. Saito asked, offering me a reassuring smile as I leaned back on the pillow, allowing the nurse entering the room to access my arm. I was tired, and it seemed like these tests would deprive me of much-needed sleep in the days to come.
"So, what are some of the tests that need to be done?" I asked, looking at both doctors. They seemed taken aback by my question, as if they hadn't expected me to inquire about it. I couldn't help but wonder if they had actually read my file. It was quite thick and contained important information.
"CT scans, MRIs, X-rays, stress tests... those kinds of tests. Nothing invasive, all perfectly safe," Dr. Fujimata explained when he noticed Dr. Saito's hesitation in telling me. Dr. Fujimata must have been informed by Ms. Naomi about my thirst for information, as he pulled out a packet of papers from his lab coat pocket. I settled back onto the bed, reading through the papers detailing all the tests they wanted to conduct on me while the nurse drew blood through the PICC line. I was then hooked up to an IV to receive the necessary nutrients.
The following morning, the same nurse from the previous night came to escort me for the initial tests, despite my exhaustion from another sleepless night. I followed all the instructions given by the doctors and nurse, and by the end of the day, the doctors who had accused me of faking changed their tune upon seeing me alone. I was emaciated and deathly pale, with dark bags weighing heavily under my eyes. I could hardly move without assistance. When the nurse returned me to the isolation room, I was surprised to find Petite Dragon sitting on the bed, dressed in a little hospital outfit, with a note tucked under him. To my astonishment, it wasn't a note from Dr. Saito or Ms. Naomi, but from my older brother. He was trying to explain why he had done what he did, but it was already too late. He had sent me away without so much as a goodbye. Would I discard the note? No. Was I angry with my brother? Yes. I wished to be free of all this turmoil and hassle. For the first time in two days, I managed to get some actual sleep, although it wasn't restful due to the bouts of sickness caused by the medications prescribed by the doctors.
The next morning, Ms. Naomi entered the room with a tray of food in hand. I could smell the aroma of miso soup and toast. I glanced at Ms. Naomi, doing my best to suppress the nausea triggered by the scent alone. Thankfully, she took one look at me before placing the tray just outside the door and taking a seat in the chair near the bed. I couldn't see her face clearly as half of it was covered by the required mask for entering the isolation rooms.
"I heard that your brother came yesterday to clear up some misunderstandings... Did you know that when you were only two, you underwent open-heart surgery to clear a blockage? The tests they ran yesterday revealed..." Ms. Naomi began speaking, but I had to reach for the bucket placed on the floor next to the left side of the bed. I had tried to hold back the urge to vomit until the very last moment. Unable to contain it any longer, the taste of iron invaded my mouth, and I broke down into tears. I was exhausted from all the throwing up and sleepless nights.
"Fuyuko, what's the matter?" Ms. Naomi asked, taking my hand in hers as I cried into my knees.
"My mouth hurts from all the vomiting... It's gotten to the point where I can taste blood. Make it stop..." I sobbed, releasing all the pent-up emotions for the first time in weeks. It took Ms. Naomi nearly fifteen minutes to calm me down, and I was almost asleep when another nurse from the ward entered the room, carrying a bowl of frozen yogurt and some medicine.
"Hello, Fuyuko. Ms. Naomi asked us to bring you something to soothe your throat and help you get some sleep," the nurse said, placing the frozen yogurt on the table in front of me before handing the medicine syringe to Ms. Naomi. I was surprised to find that I could consume the frozen treat without much effort and keep it down.
"Does that feel better on your throat, Fuyuko?" Ms. Naomi asked, leaning forward with her elbows resting on her knees. I was so engrossed in enjoying my treat that I could only nod in response, mindful not to speak with my mouth full. I wasn't sure why, but Ms. Naomi started laughing at me. Later, I discovered it was because I was finally able to eat something without the constant presence of someone waiting with a bucket in case I vomited.
Once I finished my frozen yogurt, my throat felt significantly better than it had in the past 12 days since I first woke up.
"Now, I'm going to give you some medicine that should help you get some sleep, Fuyuko," Ms. Naomi said, gently brushing my loose hair away from my face before inserting the needle into the port in my arm. Slowly, I began counting down from ten in my head, allowing my eyes to grow heavy and eventually close.