Isabelle
"You say you're scared, but want to work in a hospital, which intrigues me,"
"I'm not scared of the hospital,"
"What are you scared of then?"
"None of the doctors seem to agree with each other, or communicate. Everyone is on different pages. Ashton wants to do chemo, so does Kaykay, but other people want me to do surgery. I stopped breathing yesterday,"
"I heard. How has that made you feel going forwards?"
"I don't like not knowing if I am going to stop being able to breathe in the next minute," I mumbled, looking at Eloise, who Ashton had sent to talk to me.
"They saved you though, they could do that again,"
"Not if it happens like, 15 times,"
"Have they told you how to look after yourself?"
"Rest,"
"Seems easy then,"
"No. I don't want to rest,"
"Well, I think you need to rest, and tell them that you need clear communication. You are their patient and it is not fair to not know," she said, resting her hand on my arm, "But I think I will leave you to have some room now, yeah?"
"Thankyou,"
"Remember, communication,"
I nodded and smiled, watching her sign herself out of the room. It was full of chairs, quite a few of them full of other patients.
Next to me was a girl, speaking to two boys beside her. I looked over at them and and one of them caught eye contact with me, so I looked back down and away.
"You look like one of my doctors,"
"Me?"
"Yeah. Dr Blaisdell,"
"She's my sister,"
"No way,"
"Er... yeah,"
"So you live with Dr Irwin and her? They seen really cool. I'm Iza by the way," he said.
"Aimee,"
"Rudy,"
"Isabelle," I said quietly, "And they are cool. They have a hammock in their house,"
"Is this your first time?"
"Yeah,"
"Well I hope you're doing okay," Aimee said, "Them working must be tough,"
"I think Kaykay is taking time off. How long have you been patients?"
"Aimee has only been here a couple of weeks, I have been here one month, and Iza a month and a half,"
"You stay?"
"I do," Rudy said, "But I think I am being let home for Christmas,"
"I honestly don't know what's going on at this point, all I know is that I have a surgery in a month, that Luke and Sierra may decide to do next week if they feel like it,"
"Luke and Sierra?"
"Dr Hemmings and Dr Deaton,"
"Sorry, I have no clue who they are," Iza laughed, "Probably because I have cancer in my leg, so I have different doctors,"
"I have leukaemia," Aimee said.
"Pancreatic," Rudy sighed, "You? If you want to say,"
"Ovarian,"
"I'm sorry," Aimee said, "You've got this though,"
"Are you all here every Tuesday?"
"Yeah. I think Dr Irwin planned it out,"
"Sounds like him," I giggled, "How do you guys stay calm?"
"This is life now. Talking to Iza and Aimee keeps me busy, and I trust the doctors,"
"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Iza shrugged, "I do my school work too, and watch tv,"
"I only moved here like... less than a week ago. I wish I could explore,"
"Huh?"
"Kaykay just got custody of me, and I have been sick for a couple of months, but it only just got found,"
"I'm sorry," Rudy sighed, "At least you met us! We are awesome,"
"Maybe you're just bias,"
He gasped and I laughed, Aimee giggling. At least they were welcoming.
Ashton walked into the room and gave us all a smile, high fiving all of us. He checked Iza, who seemed the most okay out of all of us, then stood in the middle of us and grinned.
"You have done another week,"
"Hurrah,"
"Is anyone feeling dizzy, or nauseous?"
"A little," Aimee said.
"You stay sitting then, what about you, Izz?" he said, unhooking my wires.
"I am okay,"
"Great. Right, I will see you next week Iza, I'm here all week if you need anything. Your mum is sat in the waiting room,"
"Thanks,"
"Don't forget a sticker,"
He rolled his eyes and got up, waving goodbye to use before leaving. Gently, Ashton listened to Aimee's chest, then took her temperature.
"You will be okay my lovely, take a sick bowl just in case. Do you need a wheelchair?"
"Please,"
He got a nurse to take her, then moved onto Rudy, getting a nurse to take him. On the way out, he grinned and waved.
Then, Ash got me to sit in a wheelchair and we left the room, ending up in the same lift as Rudy. We weren't room neighbours, so we split at the top, and I climbed into my bed.
He seemed joyful, and excited, even though he was stuck here. I wasn't sure how, but it wad contagious, and I felt a little bit of relief.
"It burnt a little,"
"Not too much though?"
"No. Everyone was very nice,"
"Those kids are lovely, all around your age too. Kaykay will be down in half an hour, if you throw up then hit the nurses button,"
"You can't stay?"
"Unfortunately not," he sighed, kissing my forehead, "Someone will be here soon,"
"Ash,"
"Don't cry, you will make yourself feel crap. Try and sleep, and we will feed you later,"
"Okay,"
"You're so strong,"
I nodded and he squeezed my hand, leaving me alone in the room.
Just as I had settled down and shut my eyes, the door opened again. Lewis strode in and sat on the chair, spinning round on it with a smile.
I held my fist out and he gave me a fist punch, then turned it into gearstick and I giggled.
"I read you had your first chemo,"
"I did,"
"How are you feeling?"
"Okay,"
"Dude, you're a pro,"
"I wish,"
"Does your picc line feel okay? I need to give it a little clean,"
"I guess so,"
"Is it irritated?"
"No, I just don't like it,"
"I see,"
He peeled off the plaster from my picc line and began to wipe it, tenderly looking at it.
"That's a little bit red. Have you been fiddling?"
"No, but the nurse was,"
"I am going to use a different size plaster, I think that might help. Did you meet anyone down there?"
"Three people around my age. They seemed cool,"
"I bet they make excellent company," he smiled, putting a plaster on, "Anything you want to talk about?"
"I'm talked out. Ashton sent a counsellor,"
"Ah. Do you want ice cream?"
"I have a feeding tube,"
"You can still eat,"
"Maybe later, I'm starting to feel a little sick,"
"That's okay,"
Slowly, the door opened and Kaykay came in, instantly, and silently, climbing into my bed. I shut my eyes and rested on her shoulder, hearing Lewis leave the room.
Hospitals had so much in and out.
"How do you feel?"
"Sick,"
"Go to sleep," she whispered, "I will protect you,"
"Okay,"
"I will always protect you,"