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“Yes, please call me as well if you need anything,” Angel seconded.
Laura Lee watched them leave the room. She drank more of her broth and then dialed her mother.
“Hello, Laura Lee, how are you?”
A warm feeling swept through her just by hearing her mother’s voice. “Hi, Mom, I’m okay.”
“I was so worried,” she said. “And frustrated that I couldn’t come to be there for you.”
“I’m okay, Mom. There’s no need to come, anyway. How are you doing?”
Dorthea Saxton chuckled. “Always worrying about me. Even after having emergency surgery. I’m fine, sweetheart.”
“I hope the news of my surgery didn’t cause you to stress and have a flare up of your symptoms. I’m sorry they called you for something so minor,” she said.
“A ruptured appendix is not minor, Laura Lee. Stop trying to protect me from everything. You can’t.”
“I love you, Mom. Of course, I’m going to try to protect you from anything that will flare up your symptoms.”
“I love you, too. Now tell me really how you feel.”
“I’m a little sore. But they did the surgery laparoscopically, so the incisions will heal quickly. The team medic stayed with me until just a few minutes ago, so I wasn’t alone.” She knew this would help to put her mom’s mind at ease that she wasn’t going through this all alone. “And two of the team member’s wives will check in on me and will be there for anything I need now through when I’m fully recovered.”
“That’s good. Everyone needs someone when they’re sick.”
“They’re both mothers. If my own mom can’t be here, they’re the next best thing.”
“I know you were home just over a week ago, but I miss you,” she said.
“I miss you too, Mom. I’m pretty sure I’ll have a week off around Christmas. That’s just over three months until I’ll be home again.” Even as she said it, her heart felt heavy. Three months was a long time to her mom.
“I’m proud of you, Laura Lee. I’m sorry I can’t be there with you.”
“Me too, Mom,” she agreed. “But we can talk every day while I’m recovering. I’m sure I’ll be bored stiff in here.” She of course had not told her mom any of her problems. She never told her about Harrison West either. Her mom’s symptoms flared up terribly from stress. So, Laura Lee portrayed her life in terms of sunshine and rainbows.
“Yes, call me as often as you’d like,” her mom said. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom. Good night.”
After she hung up, she picked at more of the liquids on her dinner plate. She reclined her bed back about a foot, to where it was more comfortable for her abdomen because sitting up as straight as she’d been, was hurting her. She lifted her gown and glanced over her abdomen. A drain tube was in, which was where the majority of the pain originated. She saw four incisions. They each appeared to be less than an inch long. They were held closed by tape strips. Her entire abdomen looked bloated. And she discovered a catheter was between her legs as well.
The nurse came in. “Hello, I’m Derrick. I’m your nurse until seven this evening. It’s nice to see you’re awake.”
“Hi,” she replied. He was young, looked to be in his early twenties. “Was I unconscious all day?”
“Yes, pretty much so. That’s common though after surgery and being on the strong narcos,” he said, coming closer to the bed. He checked over the settings on the IV control panel and gazed at the fluids in the bags.
“They had me on narcotics?”
“Morphine, but there’s an order for a milder, non-narcotic pain killer when you’re due for your next dose.” He fingered the nearly empty bag on the pole. “Your surgeon also wrote you an order for a sleep aid. Just let me or your night nurse know when you might want it.”
“I’m going to try not to take sleep aids or any more pain killers. I really don’t like to put anything into my body.”
He patted her shoulder. “That isn’t realistic after surgery.”
Laura Lee sighed out loud. She glanced up at the pole. “What all are they giving me?”
“Well, this nearly empty one is an anti-inflammatory that will aid with pain relief. Now that you’re awake, you’ll take its tablet counterpart.” He pointed to the largest bag next. “This one is just fluids to keep you hydrated. This one is the antibiotic.” He pointed to one of the other bags. “I gave you your last dose of the morphine two hours ago.”
