| General Fiction posted July 31, 2017 | Chapters: |
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A new hospital and a new friend.
A chapter in the book Iris
April 28th
by Heather Knight
The story so far: After being diagnosed with leukemia, Iris was told she had to stay in hospital. Now she's being transferred to a bigger and better hospital.
The trip to Great Whatever Hospital was the scariest in my life so far. Mum and I were transferred there in an ambulance and I sincerely doubt the driver had a driver's licence. The siren was on all the time and he sped like a maniac, while Mum held on to her seat for dear life. I was lying on a stretcher and I promise it moved all around the back of the vehicle, just like the baby seat in the Matilda film.
I wondered what the hurry was, it wasn't as if I was dying or anything. We got there in less than half an hour and when I got off, I was glad there was a wheelchair waiting for me.
'You look pale, Tiny,' Mum said.
'I wonder why...'
She smiled at me knowingly.
'Yeah, I feel like throwing up myself.'
The hospital was a beautiful castle-like building surrounded by manicured lawns. There were flower beds and fountains everywhere. It looked really posh. More like a fancy hotel than a hospital.
We were taken to a small room with a French window that opened onto a balcony.
'Dr. Ingram will come to see you as soon as she can,' a little plump nurse with a childish face and a squeaky voice told us.
While we waited, Mum called Marcus and I heard her tell him about our trip on the ambulance.
'I was scared for our life,' she said.
There was a knock on the door and Mum hung up hurriedly. A very thin woman walked in. She was wearing a green skirt with a beige blouse. They looked expensive. On top she had a white coat and in her hand she held a chart that I assumed contained my medical history.
'Hello, Iris,' she said.
'Hello,' I answered in a small voice. I didn't know why, but I found this stranger intimidating. Maybe because she looked so elegant, not a hair out of place. Besides, she was old, not as old as Dr Brown, but almost.
'I hope you and I will become friends as I'm going to be your doctor for the next few months. I see here it's your birthday today.'
'Oh!' both Mum and I looked at each other. We had completely forgotten, what with all the drama.
Dr Ingram seemed taken aback by our reaction.
'Did I get it wrong?' she asked.
'No. We ... we just forgot.'
'Then, happy birthday! I will bring you a little something tomorrow. Do you still like dolls or are you too old for that?'
'I love dolls,' I answered wondering what kind of doll she was referring to, but too shy to ask.
After that, she started talking to Mum. She explained the treatment to her, which drugs I would be given, how long it would last, how long I would have to stay in hospital... She also told Mum our life was about to change big time. It was all too scientific for me and after a while my attention wandered and I started daydreaming. It was only when I heard the word operation that I started listening again.
'Why an operation?'
'You need a Hickman line.'
'What's that?'
'It's something that will stop us from hurting you. We can use it both to give you medication and to get blood.'
'So when am I having this operation?
'The sooner the better. I will talk to the surgeon later.'
After she had left, Mum and I decided to go out to the balcony to look at the view. It was magnificent. So green and so lush. I could see a gardener in the distance deadheading some rose bushes.
A little girl came out of the room next to ours and said hello to us.
'Hi. I'm Paula. What's your name?'
'Iris.'
'Are you new, Iris? I'd never seen you before.'
'Yes. I've arrived today.'
'What's wrong with you?'
'I have ALL.'
'Ah, so you are one of the lucky ones,' she said with a smile. 'You'll get cured.'
'What about you?'
'I have something called neuroblastoma. I think I'll probably die.'
I was shocked, but she didn't seem to mind. She just said it matter-of-factly. As if it was something she had learned in a geography class.
Mum looked away to hide her tears.
'Do you want to play?' Paula asked me. 'The balcony is the only fun place in this hospital. There is no common room or anything.'
Just then, a tired-looking man came out of Paula's room. He hadn't shaved in quite a few days and his shirt needed ironing. Despite the dark circles under his blue eyes, he was very handsome.
'Who are you bothering now, Paula?' he asked.
'She's not bothering us,' Mum answered with a smile.
'I'm glad to hear that, she's a lovely girl but she doesn't understand what boundaries are.'
'What are boundaries, Daddy?' Paula asked, an innocent smile on her face. Then she winked at me.
Paula's Dad and my mum sat on a bench in the balcony and I followed Paula into her room. She told me she had lots of games and she was not lying.
'So how old are you?' she asked me.
'Eleven, and you?'
'Eight. Do you have any brothers or sisters?'
'Just one. His name is Marcus. What about you?'
'No. It's just me and Dad. My Mum left when I was a baby. I don't miss her much because I can't remember her, but I wish Dad had a girlfriend. I don't want him to be all alone when I'm gone.'
I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. After a while, Paula kept on talking as if she had never stopped.
'Maybe your Mum will do. Is she single?'
The story so far: After being diagnosed with leukemia, Iris was told she had to stay in hospital. Now she's being transferred to a bigger and better hospital.
The trip to Great Whatever Hospital was the scariest in my life so far. Mum and I were transferred there in an ambulance and I sincerely doubt the driver had a driver's licence. The siren was on all the time and he sped like a maniac, while Mum held on to her seat for dear life. I was lying on a stretcher and I promise it moved all around the back of the vehicle, just like the baby seat in the Matilda film.
I wondered what the hurry was, it wasn't as if I was dying or anything. We got there in less than half an hour and when I got off, I was glad there was a wheelchair waiting for me.
'You look pale, Tiny,' Mum said.
'I wonder why...'
She smiled at me knowingly.
'Yeah, I feel like throwing up myself.'
The hospital was a beautiful castle-like building surrounded by manicured lawns. There were flower beds and fountains everywhere. It looked really posh. More like a fancy hotel than a hospital.
We were taken to a small room with a French window that opened onto a balcony.
'Dr. Ingram will come to see you as soon as she can,' a little plump nurse with a childish face and a squeaky voice told us.
While we waited, Mum called Marcus and I heard her tell him about our trip on the ambulance.
'I was scared for our life,' she said.
There was a knock on the door and Mum hung up hurriedly. A very thin woman walked in. She was wearing a green skirt with a beige blouse. They looked expensive. On top she had a white coat and in her hand she held a chart that I assumed contained my medical history.
'Hello, Iris,' she said.
'Hello,' I answered in a small voice. I didn't know why, but I found this stranger intimidating. Maybe because she looked so elegant, not a hair out of place. Besides, she was old, not as old as Dr Brown, but almost.
'I hope you and I will become friends as I'm going to be your doctor for the next few months. I see here it's your birthday today.'
'Oh!' both Mum and I looked at each other. We had completely forgotten, what with all the drama.
Dr Ingram seemed taken aback by our reaction.
'Did I get it wrong?' she asked.
'No. We ... we just forgot.'
'Then, happy birthday! I will bring you a little something tomorrow. Do you still like dolls or are you too old for that?'
'I love dolls,' I answered wondering what kind of doll she was referring to, but too shy to ask.
After that, she started talking to Mum. She explained the treatment to her, which drugs I would be given, how long it would last, how long I would have to stay in hospital... She also told Mum our life was about to change big time. It was all too scientific for me and after a while my attention wandered and I started daydreaming. It was only when I heard the word operation that I started listening again.
'Why an operation?'
'You need a Hickman line.'
'What's that?'
'It's something that will stop us from hurting you. We can use it both to give you medication and to get blood.'
'So when am I having this operation?
'The sooner the better. I will talk to the surgeon later.'
After she had left, Mum and I decided to go out to the balcony to look at the view. It was magnificent. So green and so lush. I could see a gardener in the distance deadheading some rose bushes.
A little girl came out of the room next to ours and said hello to us.
'Hi. I'm Paula. What's your name?'
'Iris.'
'Are you new, Iris? I'd never seen you before.'
'Yes. I've arrived today.'
'What's wrong with you?'
'I have ALL.'
'Ah, so you are one of the lucky ones,' she said with a smile. 'You'll get cured.'
'What about you?'
'I have something called neuroblastoma. I think I'll probably die.'
I was shocked, but she didn't seem to mind. She just said it matter-of-factly. As if it was something she had learned in a geography class.
Mum looked away to hide her tears.
'Do you want to play?' Paula asked me. 'The balcony is the only fun place in this hospital. There is no common room or anything.'
Just then, a tired-looking man came out of Paula's room. He hadn't shaved in quite a few days and his shirt needed ironing. Despite the dark circles under his blue eyes, he was very handsome.
'Who are you bothering now, Paula?' he asked.
'She's not bothering us,' Mum answered with a smile.
'I'm glad to hear that, she's a lovely girl but she doesn't understand what boundaries are.'
'What are boundaries, Daddy?' Paula asked, an innocent smile on her face. Then she winked at me.
Paula's Dad and my mum sat on a bench in the balcony and I followed Paula into her room. She told me she had lots of games and she was not lying.
'So how old are you?' she asked me.
'Eleven, and you?'
'Eight. Do you have any brothers or sisters?'
'Just one. His name is Marcus. What about you?'
'No. It's just me and Dad. My Mum left when I was a baby. I don't miss her much because I can't remember her, but I wish Dad had a girlfriend. I don't want him to be all alone when I'm gone.'
I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. After a while, Paula kept on talking as if she had never stopped.
'Maybe your Mum will do. Is she single?'
The trip to Great Whatever Hospital was the scariest in my life so far. Mum and I were transferred there in an ambulance and I sincerely doubt the driver had a driver's licence. The siren was on all the time and he sped like a maniac, while Mum held on to her seat for dear life. I was lying on a stretcher and I promise it moved all around the back of the vehicle, just like the baby seat in the Matilda film.
I wondered what the hurry was, it wasn't as if I was dying or anything. We got there in less than half an hour and when I got off, I was glad there was a wheelchair waiting for me.
'You look pale, Tiny,' Mum said.
'I wonder why...'
She smiled at me knowingly.
'Yeah, I feel like throwing up myself.'
The hospital was a beautiful castle-like building surrounded by manicured lawns. There were flower beds and fountains everywhere. It looked really posh. More like a fancy hotel than a hospital.
We were taken to a small room with a French window that opened onto a balcony.
'Dr. Ingram will come to see you as soon as she can,' a little plump nurse with a childish face and a squeaky voice told us.
While we waited, Mum called Marcus and I heard her tell him about our trip on the ambulance.
'I was scared for our life,' she said.
There was a knock on the door and Mum hung up hurriedly. A very thin woman walked in. She was wearing a green skirt with a beige blouse. They looked expensive. On top she had a white coat and in her hand she held a chart that I assumed contained my medical history.
'Hello, Iris,' she said.
'Hello,' I answered in a small voice. I didn't know why, but I found this stranger intimidating. Maybe because she looked so elegant, not a hair out of place. Besides, she was old, not as old as Dr Brown, but almost.
'I hope you and I will become friends as I'm going to be your doctor for the next few months. I see here it's your birthday today.'
'Oh!' both Mum and I looked at each other. We had completely forgotten, what with all the drama.
Dr Ingram seemed taken aback by our reaction.
'Did I get it wrong?' she asked.
'No. We ... we just forgot.'
'Then, happy birthday! I will bring you a little something tomorrow. Do you still like dolls or are you too old for that?'
'I love dolls,' I answered wondering what kind of doll she was referring to, but too shy to ask.
After that, she started talking to Mum. She explained the treatment to her, which drugs I would be given, how long it would last, how long I would have to stay in hospital... She also told Mum our life was about to change big time. It was all too scientific for me and after a while my attention wandered and I started daydreaming. It was only when I heard the word operation that I started listening again.
'Why an operation?'
'You need a Hickman line.'
'What's that?'
'It's something that will stop us from hurting you. We can use it both to give you medication and to get blood.'
'So when am I having this operation?
'The sooner the better. I will talk to the surgeon later.'
After she had left, Mum and I decided to go out to the balcony to look at the view. It was magnificent. So green and so lush. I could see a gardener in the distance deadheading some rose bushes.
A little girl came out of the room next to ours and said hello to us.
'Hi. I'm Paula. What's your name?'
'Iris.'
'Are you new, Iris? I'd never seen you before.'
'Yes. I've arrived today.'
'What's wrong with you?'
'I have ALL.'
'Ah, so you are one of the lucky ones,' she said with a smile. 'You'll get cured.'
'What about you?'
'I have something called neuroblastoma. I think I'll probably die.'
I was shocked, but she didn't seem to mind. She just said it matter-of-factly. As if it was something she had learned in a geography class.
Mum looked away to hide her tears.
'Do you want to play?' Paula asked me. 'The balcony is the only fun place in this hospital. There is no common room or anything.'
Just then, a tired-looking man came out of Paula's room. He hadn't shaved in quite a few days and his shirt needed ironing. Despite the dark circles under his blue eyes, he was very handsome.
'Who are you bothering now, Paula?' he asked.
'She's not bothering us,' Mum answered with a smile.
'I'm glad to hear that, she's a lovely girl but she doesn't understand what boundaries are.'
'What are boundaries, Daddy?' Paula asked, an innocent smile on her face. Then she winked at me.
Paula's Dad and my mum sat on a bench in the balcony and I followed Paula into her room. She told me she had lots of games and she was not lying.
'So how old are you?' she asked me.
'Eleven, and you?'
'Eight. Do you have any brothers or sisters?'
'Just one. His name is Marcus. What about you?'
'No. It's just me and Dad. My Mum left when I was a baby. I don't miss her much because I can't remember her, but I wish Dad had a girlfriend. I don't want him to be all alone when I'm gone.'
I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. After a while, Paula kept on talking as if she had never stopped.
'Maybe your Mum will do. Is she single?'
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