August 23, 2016

• Looking Smooth

  The bath was cooling off and so was she. The nurses had cleared most of her back and chest and both arms were looking pink from the scrubbing. Her legs were getting there but it was difficult to get to the scabs between her toes. Everyone was tired but at the same time exhilarated. The skin newly revealed was smoother and softer than she remembered. She was still working on her face when two nurses began lifting her from the tub. They had stripped away the soaked gown and had wrapped her in a thin blanket. She was unable to walk but it wasn’t due to the scabs but rather a general weakness. Before the nurses could get her dried and dressed a troop of doctors entered. While several wanted to see her remaining scabs and check her newly revealed skin, a few others were very interested in the sediment in the bathtub. Liz was curious to see that they were dredging the tub and placing her shed scabs in specimen jars. It was only when the nurse placed a tourniquet on her arm, that she turned her attention from the tub. She looked the nurse in the eye and was told it was just a blood sample to see if there was any infection or anemia. Liz would have bought it except the nurse took at least 7 vials of blood, far more than would have been required.

  Perhaps it was the excitement and the effort to scrub off the scabs, or maybe the loss of all that blood and a lack of food, but either way Liz fainted. When she woke there was an IV drip in her hand and she was swaddled in blankets. She was disoriented, the window was gone, the blurry plastic was missing, and there was an ugly aqua curtain hanging to the right of her bed. She stared at her hand. The IV catheter was taped in place but the amazing thing was that all the scabs were gone. She looked more closely and realized her fingernails were gone as well. She looked at her arm and other hand with amazement. All the scabs had disappeared. Then she felt her face. It was smooth. Her lips were soft and she could pucker and smile and twist them into a funny face. Sliding her hand to her eyelids and forehead revealed nothing but soft skin. Even her scalp was free of scabs. She cleared her throat. With a whisper she spoke to herself. Shouting a triumphant “Yes”, Liz crowed for the nurse!

  This episode for the Laziest Summer Scavenger Hunt uses prompt #74 - sediment. As you can surmise Liz has been moved into a regular hospital room. While she was in her faint the doctors got to work and removed the remaining scabs from her more delicate areas - like her eyelids. She has regained her voice as well as her flexibility. It is a good day for Liz.

  • 6:27 am
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