Prognosis
10 Sep 2016Mara Korine
Mara struggled to open her eyes. They were burning, itching, and eyelids heavy. Mara allowed her eyes to win for a moment. She couldn't decide if her skin was freezing, or burning. The room was too cold, and the blanket was too thin. Beeps and hums, as well as voices and footsteps, felt both too loud, and too muffled or distant to be understood. She shivered and forced her eyes open. The light was painful, bright, and the room swam. Mara lifted her head and realised she was too nauseated to move. Overwhelmed and dejected, she passed out.When she woke again her senses had dulled. Someone had dimmed the lights. Is it nighttime? "Is anyone here?" She asked, "I'd like some water if that's ok." A man was snoring on the other side of a privacy curtain that circled her bed. She examined her surroundings. There was a box beside the bed and inside she found Thelonius, the memory card and the photos from the ship. I wonder if this is all that survived. Where am I? The door latch clicked, and without further noise, the door slid open, a woman wearing a medical uniform entered. "You're awake now," She remarked, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm thirsty." Mara paused and added, "May I have some water? Where am I?" She was starting to feel a little anxious about what had happened.
"You're in medical ward 313. Jaques station," The nurse answered as she drew a cup of water from a dispenser. She handed it to Mara and asked, "Where do you last remember being?"
"Tosia sector."
"I haven't heard of it, is it nice?" The nurse asked while taking Mara's pulse and taking some notes down on a pad.
"It's quiet, and out of the way. The view of Andromeda is so sharp and clear, you'd think you could reach out and grab it."
"It sounds nice," the nurse commented, turning toward the door, "Is there anything else I can get you? The doctor will be in to see you in the morning. She'll be pleased that you look so well."
I don't feel well. But the nurse didn't seem too concerned so I shouldn't worry right? Right?
Mara wiggled her feet. They protested with a sharp jolt of pain, but she could move them. Alright, I'm just being paranoid. She sipped her water, closed her eyes, and tried to ignore the snoring that was impervious to her conversation with the nurse.
Breakfast was served before the doctor came. The toast was tasteless and dry. The eggs, or egg-like substitute, was watery. There was a cup of pudding. It was sweet but diluted and the texture was chalky. Buty it was better than the nutri-tubes she'd been consuming for the last two months. Next trip out, I'm getting a kitchen installed. That's final. Mara was scooping the last bit of pudding out of the cup when the door slid open and middle-aged woman approached Mara. A sense of purpose and haste surrounded the doctor. She checked some readings on the monitor beside Mara's bed and greeted her. "How are you feeling?" She asked while applying pressure to various points to Mara's arms and legs. "My name is Doctor Shari."
"My legs feel really sore and stiff."
"That's to be expected," the doctor replied, "You've had three surgeries since you arrived and we've had to keep you in a medically induced coma while you fought a nasty infection as a result of your wounds. You nearly lost those legs."
"Will I be ok?" Will I be ok? Did I really ask that? How childish.
"Yes, I think you'll be just fine. But you will need to stay with us for a few more days until the infection goes down. And you'll need physiotherapy. There was nerve damage in your hip from the accident. You'll find our physical therapists are some of the best. You'll be on your way in a couple of weeks at the most."
A couple of weeks? I should be back out doing research in a couple of weeks! Mara forced a smile. "Thank you, I'm sure it will be fine. It's so strange. One minute I was looking for a nice photo op before leaving a system, the next here I am. Three surgeries and weeks of recovery. And my ship. Oh no! What happened to my ship?"
"You didn't arrive in your own ship. Someone picked up your escape pod and brought you in." Explained Dr. Shari reaching for a button under the monitor, "If you need anything press this button here. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow."
Well, that happened. I hope this doesn't set me back too long. I've got a paper to write and I'm not done the research. Mum will be so disappointed if I don't get published. But what else can I do? I can't rush recovery. The research will have to wait.