All I heard was the SOS of the car that I was trapped in as I ache every and I am unable to move anything.
My head aches like it is about to expolde any moment. The shouting did not help either. Someone was screaming outside and I did not care. I hurt to much and I hear yet more noise as sirens blare nearby. I groan in agony and open my eyes to see my bloody body covered in glass as I take a breath that is beyond painful. I think I am now broken. Great, 19 years old and headed home after my first year of college and now this. I thought finials had broken my spirit, now I knew which one was more painful to break.
I moan, "Mom, Dad are you okay?" I don't hear an answer but they might be knocked out or unable to hear me over the racket outside. I hear someone coming closer and I try to move my arm and I scream in pain. The next thing I know is darkness. I black out and have no idea what is happening beyond the awful noise around me I will not miss one bit
3 Days Later
"Beep....Beep....Beep." Why is it every where I go I hear damn beeping. This one is a hospital sound that you hear in the movies, but they never tell you how uncomfortable the tube in your mouth is or the air mask over your face.
Well I am here to tell you that if I could rip them all off I would in a moment. I can't though as it seems every part of me not only hurts more than I could have ever believed but that I was wrapped in thick bandages that made it difficult to move.
I can't even move my head when I hear movement to the right side of me. Mom must have been waiting for me to wake and tell me what happened
I see someone come into view that is not my mother, but my mother's adopted sister who I have not seen since I was young.
Mom said they had some falling out so Mom and Dad must still be out of it if she was here. Mom said her name was Rosa once, but I try to mumble around the tube. Failing to actually speak words she seemed to understand that I at least got her attention.
She looks at me and looks shocked to see my eyes open and she pushes to call button of the hospital bed. "Yes, she is awake. Can I have a nurse in ICU room 6."
A disembodied voice of a clinically bored female comes from the speaker " Yes ma'am I will send someone now." She looks at me like she wants to cry and I don't understand. I should be the one crying as I am in pain, but I can't talk and my emotions seem uncaring and more anti-social then normal. My head hurts and that is the only thing I really care about at the moment which is strange. Why do I not care how my parents are or why Rosa is here.
I hear a knock at the door and hear it open. I assume that would be the nurse. " Has she said anything" a male voice asks and I want to roll my eyes how could I speak with this tube in my mouth.
Rosa answers anxiously, "No, but she mumbled something and her eyes are open. I should have called right?"
The male voice is not in my line of sight but he comes to my left side, placing a hand on one of the machines above my head. " Yes ma'am, we need to ask her some questions but it might be difficult for her to answer. Please can you give us a moment to look over the patient. My nurse will let you back in when we are done."
I see a handsome younger male nurse walk over to Rosa and escort her out of the room as an older darker haired man takes her place beside me. "Miss Hardgrove please nod yes or no to my questions. If this is not possible blink once for no and twice for yes. Do you understand?" I blink twice and her nods "Good"
Thank God for someone who understands how you can't speak with something stuck in your mouth. " Do you remember anything before the crash?" I blink twice, I remember leaving campus and heading home. Mom and Dad were talking about taking me to dinner as a reward for doing well on my finials and laughing about all the stuff we had packed around me.
"Do you remember anything after the crash?" I blink once, no but I blacked out. I did not think this was strange. He writes down my answers. "Can you feel anything in your legs?" I frown around the tube and try to look at my legs. I feel them, but they are numb and it seems like I can not move them at all. I blink three times and the doctor looks confused. " If you feel your legs at all blink twice." I do so.
"Okay, now are you in a lot of pain?" Duh. I blink my eyes twice. He nods and says " I am going to prescribe more pain killers. Try to take it easy. This will be a long recovery. Also I wanted to ask do I have permission to tell Rosa about your medical condition?" I blink a hard NO!
The doctor looks hesitant and puts down his clip board for a monent."That being the case I have some bad news to inform you of. The accident you were in was severe. You are the only surviver and now all medical choices regarding your health are yours." I blink my eyes multiple times and attempt to say the word Mom? It comes out as a Mooing sound. "They dies on the scean of the crash. Do you know of anyone you trust to stay with or that we can contact to act in your stead or take care of you." I blink once and I start to cry. The doctor pats my arm and apologizes for having to tell me the news. He explains he had to as I am my parents only surviving next of kin.
I would indeed have a hard recovery with no one by myside to help or really anything more than the professionals around me. Aunt Rosa aside I was now alone and must depend on what my parents had materially in this world.
I am sure those who saw me as a target would see me as vunerbal and easy pickings. Indeed someone could kill me now and I would not be able to defend myself. This is my new normal.