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The sight before me broke my heart as barely anything was left. Syria was in ruins. Forgetting everything before this second, I leap from the car the moment it’s safe to exit. The white tent is open, the only thing protecting the workers and patients inside from the harsh weather is a peaked roof.
The scene is that of complete bedlam—workers run off their feet, people screaming in pain. I roll up the sleeves of my shirt, ready to tackle the chaos headfirst. The air is heavy with ash from the trundling wind blowing a storm.
“Anna!” I call out when I see my colleague. She’s carrying a handful of bandages and other medical supplies. I run to her aid, adamant that she unload her loot.
“Lucy? When did you get in?” She smiles, thankful for the help.
“About an hour ago,” I reply, following her as she rushes into the tent. The moment I step foot inside, the true devastation can be seen. “Oh, my god.” Tears prick my eyes.
Beds line up as far as the eye can see, and all are filled with people, mainly children, hooked up to ventilators and other specialized equipment to help them breathe. Doctors run from bed to bed, ensuring all patients are still alive. The conditions are hardly ideal as the floor is rock-strewn debris, but it’s far enough away from the focal warzone.
“It’s bad, Lucy. Thanks for coming. We could really use your help.”
We sprint through the tent to a closed-off area, handing the supplies to nurses in blue scrubs. The moment a young doctor emerges, covered in blood, my stomach drops, and I suddenly feel the urge to be sick. Unable to hold it down, I spot a trash can and make it just in time to throw up my guts.
“Lucy? Are you okay?” Anna is rubbing my back as I heave up the entire contents of my stomach. Bent at the waist and too afraid to talk, I nod. I wave her off, implying I’ll be fine, and there are more important people to worry about than me.
When I think it’s safe to stand, I rise slowly, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. A cold sweat coats my entire body. Regardless, I pull it together and forget about my trivial troubles.
After twelve grueling hours, Anna and I finally call it a night. A makeshift barracks around back allows the staff to catch a few hours’ sleep before getting back into the thick of it.
I am beyond tired. Both mentally and physically.
As Anna and I trudge toward our camp, she peers over at me, concerned. “You need to eat.”
I can’t help but smile. “I will.” But my response is far from promising.
Our lodging for the evening is five single beds, packed closely together in case we need to get up and run. It may not be much, but I’ve never been more thankful to see a pillow and starchy gray blanket. We slump onto the thin mattresses, fatigued beyond words. As I kick off my shoes, a wave of nausea passes over me yet again.
Hunting through my backpack, I find my box of Tums. Popping one into my mouth, I instantly feel better. “How long have you been sick?” Anna asks, wiping her dirtied face with a wet cloth.
“For a few weeks, I guess. A lot has been going on.” And it has.
“Have you gone to the doctor?”
“No, it’s just a stomach bug. I’ll be fine.” Anna doesn’t look convinced. “What?”
She is clearly weighing what to say. “You don’t think you’re…? Never mind.”
“I’m what?” I sit taller, crossing my legs under me.
“Pregnant?”
A laugh erupts from me. “No, definitely not. I’m on birth control.”
“Honey, so was I. Then little Ebony arrived.” Ebony is daughter number seven.
“No, that’s not possible,” I reaffirm. Because it’s not, right? I’ve been feeling off due to the amount of stress I’ve been under lately because god knows, there’s been a lot of it.
“Okay, but you could always double check.”
“How? It’s not like I can make a midnight run to Walgreens.” Talking about this is just adding to my queasiness.
“You could always have your blood tested. It’ll take a little longer than back home, but we are surrounded by doctors,” she says, pulling back the blanket from her bed.
“Doctors who have more important things to deal with than my stomach bug.” I’m defensive, and I have no idea why.
“Take it from someone who’s had eight kids; the sooner you find out, the better it is.” She settles into bed, leaving me with words of wisdom that just make me want to puke some more.
