No Games Left to Play

23: The Hospital Visit

"Katniss," my mother cries out as she enters my private room in the ER. "Oh my goodness! What happened? Are you alright? What's going on?"

"Mom," I beg her, pressing the hand that Peeta isn't holding against my abdomen as the pain continues to get worse. "One question at a time. Please."

She comes over to my bedside, and stands up by my head. She places a hand on my forehead and starts stroking my hair. She frowns and leans down to kiss the top of my head. When she gets back to an upright position, her head turns to the side to look at the beeping machine up at the top of my hospital bed.

"I got the page... what happened?" she quietly asks Peeta.

"She has a fever and has been cramping."

"Has the doctor been in yet?" she asks.

"No," Peeta says. "We just got in the room a few minutes ago."

Just then there's a knock at the door. It opens and a woman wearing scrubs and a white lab coat enters the room.

"Hello, Mrs. Mellark. I'm Dr. Marina," she greats. "I hear you're experiencing some discomfort in your lower abdomen."

"Yeah," I grit through my teeth, fighting through the pain of a cramp. I try my best to sit up so I can talk to the doctor but the best I can do is lean my back against the pillows.

"Oh, you don't have to try and sit up if it's painful," the doctor says when sees me struggling. "Why don't you tell me a little bit more about what brought you in tonight."

After she finishes washing her hands at the little sink on the left side of the room, she takes a seat on a stool that has wheels.

"I've had some pretty intense cramps that have only escalated in how painful they are," I tell her.

"And when did that start?" she asks, taking a pen out of her coat pocket and rolling over to the foot of my bed.

"Around the time I went to bed."

"Have you had anything to eat today?"

A stabbing pain in my lower stomach makes me roll to my side and curl my legs up into my chest.

"She had an omelet and pancakes for breakfast, a turkey sandwich with a fruit bowl for lunch, and some grilled salmon, a small salad, and steamed lemon broccoli for dinner," Peeta answers for me.

She nods, writing something down in a large binder sitting on her lap.

"What about allergies? Is she allergic to anything?"

"No," I answer for myself this time.

"Are you experiencing any symptoms other than the stomach cramps?"

"I feel so hot and I've been sweating constantly. My whole body aches and feels so weak. My head hurts terribly, and the whole room is spinning."

"Your chart says you had a fever when you were admitted. That would explain the sweating. Also means you could have an infection," Dr. Marina ponders out loud.

She clicks her pen shut and closes what I assume to be my chart. She places the binder on the corner of my hospital bed with one hand while putting her pen back in her pocket with the other.

"Since your pain is located in your abdomen, I'd like to do an exam to see if it's hard or distended," she say, standing up.

I look to Peeta and he nods, telling me I should let her.

"It might help me find out what's wrong," the doctor says, sensing my uneasiness.

"Ok," I say.