8/15/22 Coma (Part 1)

 Coma (Part 1)

“Ma’am, I’m sorry but there has been a complication,” the doctor tells the woman lying in bed.

“What kind of complication?” she nervously asks.

“It would be to difficult to explain in the short amount of time we ha-”

“Short amount of time?” the woman says, panicked, “Am I dying or something?”

The doctor pauses, “Yes, and to save you, we are going to have to put you into an induced coma immediately. You won’t be dead, but in a very deep sleep.”

“You will be able to wake me up again right? When the complication with the syndrome or whatever is fixed?”

“We should be able to, yes,” the doctor says with lack of confidence.

“Should?” she questions his choice of words.

“There is always a risk inducing a coma, but most likely you will come out of it just fine.”

The woman takes a deep breath, processing all this new information, “Even if I’m asleep at least I’ll be alive,” she says as a pep talk for herself.

“So you are ok with this procedure? We do need your consent before putting you under.”

“Yes,” she says calmly, “You have my consent. I do have a question though.”
“Of course, anything.”

“What will my recovery look like afterwards?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t give a definitive answer to that, depending on what works and what doesn’t, your recovery process could vary drastically.”

“Alright,” she says trying to stay strong, “Well let's do this I guess.”

The doctor nods and motions for a team of nurses to come into the room. They bring various pieces of medical equipment and begin hooking it up to the woman.

Just before they put her under she drowsily stops them with one more question, “Will I dream?” she softly asks.

One nurse looks at her and replies, “Some people say it is just darkness with faint noises, but others say they have the most vivid and realistic dreams that they’ve ever had,” she ends with a huge smile on her face.

The woman’s mouth curves into a small smile of its own, “Thank you,” she says right before shutting her eyes, drifting into a coma. It is dark but only for a moment, her eyes shoot back open, she is in a forest, on a dirt path, trees like walls on each side. In the middle of the path stands a little orange fox staring straight up at her. “Hello,” she says with a small wave.

To Be Continued

8/15/22