Lottery
Chapter 16
By Mark J. Silva Jr
Lisa looked through the window into the ICU room, where Mark was lying. Tubes were running all over the place from the IV's that were delivering things: from basic fluids, to potent medications fighting the Kartanion Flu virus. Then there was the ventilator tubing that was breathing for him, and the tubes that went into his nose to feed him. Then, of course, there were the tubes taking bodily wastes away.
Her little blue eyed wonder was in a coma.
Lisa had lain in her own bed, with Di curled up to her, and for the first time she could ever remember, Lisa had cried. Di pulled her closer and held her tight as Lisa cried herself to sleep.
Brent stepped into the room and checked the first few monitors. Everything seemed normal and even though Mark was in a coma his body was now on the recovery road. Mark's fever had broken. His viral count was lower, and his body was now excreting a normal amount of fluids. Brent stepped to the other side of the room, and patted Penny head as she lay at Mark's feet.
The night Mark was brought in, Penny had refused to leave him. Even after Lisa and Tina ordered her to leave she had refused. A few nurse's aides got together and cleaned Penny up, removing the dried blood from her muzzle and breasts, and washing the rest of her so she was germ free.
With Penny there, Mark seemed to be more relaxed. That really did mean a lot when someone was in a coma. The doctors were at first were worried that she might attack one of them. But, after the first day, it was clear she understood they only meant to help Mark. She never once growled or threatened any of the staff members.
Brent was checking the urine bag when Penny started whimpering. Brent placed the bag back down and his attention was suddenly drawn to the ventilator as its alarms went off. A split second was all it took for Brent to hit the call button, and disconnect Mark from the ventilator. Mark had started breathing on his own. He was fighting the ventilator.
Dr. Izzi entered the room, with a few others following closely behind him.
“What's going on?”
“Mark has started fighting the ventilator.”
Dr. Izzi walked around Mark, and grabbed the tube going down his throat. With a firm and quick motion, she pulled it out. Mark involuntarily gasped for a few moments, but quickly quieted down.
Taking a penlight, Dr. Izzi opened Mark's eyes one by one, and checked them.
“Good! Both eyes are reactive. Give him four cc's of Quualdens S, and re-check his blood work.”
The nurses took notes, and an intern walked over. She checked the medication Mark was getting by IV.
“Doctor, Mr. Howland is currently on Deimean, wouldn't Quualdens S be counter-suggested?”
“Oh, yes. Good call. Okay, let's get him off the Deimean, and start a regimen of Tri-Ox. Maybe, just maybe this young man will be awake in a few hours.
* * * *
The room was quiet. A few moments after opening his eyes, Mark found Penny nuzzling up to him. As Mark moved his right arm, he found a few IV tubes stuck in there, and sensors taped to his arm. One of the sensors came loose. An alarm started going off, followed by the room's door opening, and a nurse rushing in to see Mark.
“Easy, there. Let me help you.”
The nurse turned the alarm off, and disconnected the other sensors that would have interfered with Mark sitting up. But Mark couldn't sit up on his own. His body argued with the very idea of moving. When Mark tried to talk, he found his throat sore and scratchy. He couldn't speak above a painful whisper.
“What was that?” Donna asked trying to hear what Mark said.
“Ahh, yes just give me a moment,” Donna said as she turned and grabbed a paper cup and filled it with cool water. Donna then placed the cup down and helped Mark sit up. After grabbing the cup once more she brought it to Mark's lips so he could have a sip of water.
“Thank you,” Mark said with a gritty scratchy voice.
“Your welcome,” Donna said as she made a few notes on her tablet.
“The doctors will be in, shortly. Meanwhile, I think we need to remove a few more items from you,” Donna said.
She walked over to the window that gave a view into the nurses station, and closed the blinds.
* * * *
Lisa got to the hospital fairly early in the morning and was pleased to learn Mark had woken up earlier in the morning. When she got to his room, she found Mark was once again sleeping. The difference this time, was that he woke when she touched his face and smiled at her.
Doctor Maxine smiled as she entered the room.
“And how is our little man this morning?”
Mark looked over from where he was laying down and had an odd look to him.
Looking at Lisa Dr. Maxine asks, “Is there a problem?”
“He is upset that a nurse put a diaper on him after removing the other items,” Lisa answered.
Dr. Maxine held back a smile as she said, “I understand it maybe embarrassing, but so would soiling the bed. Now how about getting you sit upright,”
As if on cue, a nurse entered the room, saying, “Morning, Doctor,”
“And good morning to you, Nurse Days. Can you help Mr. Howland to sit up?” Dr. Maxine asked.
After a few minutes of rearranging pillows and raising the bed, Mark found it hard to stay awake. He started nodding off.
Dr. Maxine passed a scanner over him, and did a few more checks.
“Well, as far as I can tell and from his last blood work up, I can safely say Mark has fully over the Kartanion Flu. At this rate, young man, you can go home in a few days. But, you're going to have to recover your strength. That may take a few more weeks.”
“Doctor, is there a chance I can take him home, today?” Lisa asked.
Dr. Maxine reviewed her notes, “Well, I see you have a home health nurse on call… I say if he can eat some solid food, we can let him go home today, Mrs. Bradly,”
Lisa smiled, at looked back at Mark, only to find him asleep again.
“That's to be expected. He is not going to have a lot of energy for some time. Mark will need to build up his natural body fat stores again. Mrs. Bradly, Mark really does need to gain some weight. If he had been just ten pounds heavier, it would have made a world of difference in his recovery.”
* * * *
The first week home, Mark slept most of the time. However, this morning, Mark slipped out of bed and into his bathroom, on his own. While he believed no one noticed him getting up, there was no escaping Penny's silent watch over him. As soon as Mark even sat up, Penny let Tina know. As Mark made his way into the bathroom, Penny followed.
Penny watched as Mark started a shower. After he double checked the water temperature, Mark slipped off his bath robe and stepped into the hot shower.
Penny lay in the doorway, watching, when Tina stepped over her and into the bathroom.
“Come with me, Penny,” Tina said.
Tina could see Mark moving unsteadily in the large shower. With Tina stripping off what little she was wearing, and Penny having slept nude, both pets slipped into the shower. They started helping Mark with washing his hair.
Between Mark's unsteady legs, and his long hair, taking a shower was a test of stamina for Mark. But with his pets' help, Mark was able to get his hair fully washed and conditioned. While Mark stood as still as he could in the shower, Penny rinsed out the last of the conditioner. Tina rinsed off the rest of his body, removing the traces of body wash she had used on him.
After the shower, Mark sat at a makeup table while Penny blow-dried his hair. Tina took care of the wet towels and brought over a heavy bath robe.
“You shouldn't be jumping into the shower alone, just yet,” Tina gently scolded.
Mark looked at Tina with heavy eyes, “I thought I was ready, but thanks for being there.”
“We are always here for you, Mark,” Penny answered as she turned off the hair dryer.
Tina wrapped the robe around Mark as he got up and headed back into the bedroom. When the bedroom door opened, Mark came to a sudden halt.
The new girl was in his room again. Mark couldn't figure out why, but just seeing her made him mad. He hated her more then anything else he could think of. Yes, he knew she was Di's new domestic, but just the sight of her pissed him off royally.
“Sasha, get the fuck out of my room!” Mark screamed.
Sasha turned from the laundry she was gathering and faced Mark.
“I was told to do the wash,” she said in a flat tone of voice.
Sasha was 'mind fucked.' Mark didn't know why, but she been given a mind fucking that made her an emotionless robot. Yes, she would give you a direct answer, and even could think out a problem; but her mind twisting was so tight, that her eyes looked dead and she was but a shell of a human.
When Mark looked at her, an old memory came to him. He wasn't sure if it was a memory, or a dream; but it was of him being held down, and someone dripping something that burned into his eyes. It was so foggy that he wasn't sure if it was real or from a bad dream, but the hatred was real.
“I said get out!”
Sasha ignored Mark's orders and went back to gathering laundry and that pissed Mark off even more, looking over at Penny, Mark ordered, “If she doesn’t get out, BITE her!”
As Penny lunged at her, Sasha screamed and ran out of the room, This wasn't the first time Mark sicced Penny on Sasha. As long as Sasha was out the door before Penny got to her, she was safe.
Mark then headed for his walk-in closet, looking for something to wear.
Di found Sasha once more hiding in a front hallway closet and she sighed.
“She hiding again,” she said to Lisa, who was coming out of their room.
“Did she get bit again?” Lisa asked as she started heading for Mark's room.
Di and Lisa had ordered Sasha to say away from Mark. It was very clear that Mark disliked her. He couldn't explain why, but it was very clear. The first day he'd seen her, Mark had freaked out. It had taken hours to calm him down.
Then Mark found away to chase her off, and Penny proved all too ready to attack Sasha.
What Mark didn't know, was that Di didn't buy Sasha. Sasha was sentenced to serve the one person she had harmed, for the rest of her life. Mark was her true owner, yet he hated her so much that no one dared to tell him that she belonged to him, out of fear he do something to her in revenge.
Sasha was ordered to say away from Mark, but this was counter to her now ingrained need to serve him. It made it so she was drawn to him, and placed her in danger of being attacked.
Lisa entered Mark's room, and found Penny laying in front of the closet door again, as Lisa walked over to the door Penny stood up and moved out of her way. The door silently slid open, and Lisa frowned. Mark was sleeping in his own closet. She knew it wasn't from fear, but exhaustion. Mark had once more worked himself too hard. He had passed out the first time he slowed down.
Lisa sat beside Mark's sleeping form on the floor, and gently brushed his cheek.
“Wakie, wakie.”
Mark stirred, and opened his eyes with a smile.
“A little too much excitement, this morning?” Lisa asked.
“I took a shower.”
“Was that all you did?” Lisa asked knowing full well that Mark must have had a run in with Sasha again.
Mark knew that Lisa knew what had happened. There was no hiding it from her or from Di.
“Did she hide, again?”
Lisa brushed the hair out of Marks eyes as he lay there.
“Yes, she did. I wish you would give her a chance. She only means to serve, nothing more or less.”
“But I don't like her.”
“I know. But until you can tell us why, we can't fix that,” answered Lisa.
Mark couldn't tell Lisa why he didn't like Sasha, he just didn't.
“Why don't you get back in bed? I will have Tina bring you some breakfast.”
Her little blue eyed wonder was in a coma.
Lisa had lain in her own bed, with Di curled up to her, and for the first time she could ever remember, Lisa had cried. Di pulled her closer and held her tight as Lisa cried herself to sleep.
Brent stepped into the room and checked the first few monitors. Everything seemed normal and even though Mark was in a coma his body was now on the recovery road. Mark's fever had broken. His viral count was lower, and his body was now excreting a normal amount of fluids. Brent stepped to the other side of the room, and patted Penny head as she lay at Mark's feet.
The night Mark was brought in, Penny had refused to leave him. Even after Lisa and Tina ordered her to leave she had refused. A few nurse's aides got together and cleaned Penny up, removing the dried blood from her muzzle and breasts, and washing the rest of her so she was germ free.
With Penny there, Mark seemed to be more relaxed. That really did mean a lot when someone was in a coma. The doctors were at first were worried that she might attack one of them. But, after the first day, it was clear she understood they only meant to help Mark. She never once growled or threatened any of the staff members.
Brent was checking the urine bag when Penny started whimpering. Brent placed the bag back down and his attention was suddenly drawn to the ventilator as its alarms went off. A split second was all it took for Brent to hit the call button, and disconnect Mark from the ventilator. Mark had started breathing on his own. He was fighting the ventilator.
Dr. Izzi entered the room, with a few others following closely behind him.
“What's going on?”
“Mark has started fighting the ventilator.”
Dr. Izzi walked around Mark, and grabbed the tube going down his throat. With a firm and quick motion, she pulled it out. Mark involuntarily gasped for a few moments, but quickly quieted down.
Taking a penlight, Dr. Izzi opened Mark's eyes one by one, and checked them.
“Good! Both eyes are reactive. Give him four cc's of Quualdens S, and re-check his blood work.”
The nurses took notes, and an intern walked over. She checked the medication Mark was getting by IV.
“Doctor, Mr. Howland is currently on Deimean, wouldn't Quualdens S be counter-suggested?”
“Oh, yes. Good call. Okay, let's get him off the Deimean, and start a regimen of Tri-Ox. Maybe, just maybe this young man will be awake in a few hours.
* * * *
The room was quiet. A few moments after opening his eyes, Mark found Penny nuzzling up to him. As Mark moved his right arm, he found a few IV tubes stuck in there, and sensors taped to his arm. One of the sensors came loose. An alarm started going off, followed by the room's door opening, and a nurse rushing in to see Mark.
“Easy, there. Let me help you.”
The nurse turned the alarm off, and disconnected the other sensors that would have interfered with Mark sitting up. But Mark couldn't sit up on his own. His body argued with the very idea of moving. When Mark tried to talk, he found his throat sore and scratchy. He couldn't speak above a painful whisper.
“What was that?” Donna asked trying to hear what Mark said.
“Ahh, yes just give me a moment,” Donna said as she turned and grabbed a paper cup and filled it with cool water. Donna then placed the cup down and helped Mark sit up. After grabbing the cup once more she brought it to Mark's lips so he could have a sip of water.
“Thank you,” Mark said with a gritty scratchy voice.
“Your welcome,” Donna said as she made a few notes on her tablet.
“The doctors will be in, shortly. Meanwhile, I think we need to remove a few more items from you,” Donna said.
She walked over to the window that gave a view into the nurses station, and closed the blinds.
* * * *
Lisa got to the hospital fairly early in the morning and was pleased to learn Mark had woken up earlier in the morning. When she got to his room, she found Mark was once again sleeping. The difference this time, was that he woke when she touched his face and smiled at her.
Doctor Maxine smiled as she entered the room.
“And how is our little man this morning?”
Mark looked over from where he was laying down and had an odd look to him.
Looking at Lisa Dr. Maxine asks, “Is there a problem?”
“He is upset that a nurse put a diaper on him after removing the other items,” Lisa answered.
Dr. Maxine held back a smile as she said, “I understand it maybe embarrassing, but so would soiling the bed. Now how about getting you sit upright,”
As if on cue, a nurse entered the room, saying, “Morning, Doctor,”
“And good morning to you, Nurse Days. Can you help Mr. Howland to sit up?” Dr. Maxine asked.
After a few minutes of rearranging pillows and raising the bed, Mark found it hard to stay awake. He started nodding off.
Dr. Maxine passed a scanner over him, and did a few more checks.
“Well, as far as I can tell and from his last blood work up, I can safely say Mark has fully over the Kartanion Flu. At this rate, young man, you can go home in a few days. But, you're going to have to recover your strength. That may take a few more weeks.”
“Doctor, is there a chance I can take him home, today?” Lisa asked.
Dr. Maxine reviewed her notes, “Well, I see you have a home health nurse on call… I say if he can eat some solid food, we can let him go home today, Mrs. Bradly,”
Lisa smiled, at looked back at Mark, only to find him asleep again.
“That's to be expected. He is not going to have a lot of energy for some time. Mark will need to build up his natural body fat stores again. Mrs. Bradly, Mark really does need to gain some weight. If he had been just ten pounds heavier, it would have made a world of difference in his recovery.”
* * * *
The first week home, Mark slept most of the time. However, this morning, Mark slipped out of bed and into his bathroom, on his own. While he believed no one noticed him getting up, there was no escaping Penny's silent watch over him. As soon as Mark even sat up, Penny let Tina know. As Mark made his way into the bathroom, Penny followed.
Penny watched as Mark started a shower. After he double checked the water temperature, Mark slipped off his bath robe and stepped into the hot shower.
Penny lay in the doorway, watching, when Tina stepped over her and into the bathroom.
“Come with me, Penny,” Tina said.
Tina could see Mark moving unsteadily in the large shower. With Tina stripping off what little she was wearing, and Penny having slept nude, both pets slipped into the shower. They started helping Mark with washing his hair.
Between Mark's unsteady legs, and his long hair, taking a shower was a test of stamina for Mark. But with his pets' help, Mark was able to get his hair fully washed and conditioned. While Mark stood as still as he could in the shower, Penny rinsed out the last of the conditioner. Tina rinsed off the rest of his body, removing the traces of body wash she had used on him.
After the shower, Mark sat at a makeup table while Penny blow-dried his hair. Tina took care of the wet towels and brought over a heavy bath robe.
“You shouldn't be jumping into the shower alone, just yet,” Tina gently scolded.
Mark looked at Tina with heavy eyes, “I thought I was ready, but thanks for being there.”
“We are always here for you, Mark,” Penny answered as she turned off the hair dryer.
Tina wrapped the robe around Mark as he got up and headed back into the bedroom. When the bedroom door opened, Mark came to a sudden halt.
The new girl was in his room again. Mark couldn't figure out why, but just seeing her made him mad. He hated her more then anything else he could think of. Yes, he knew she was Di's new domestic, but just the sight of her pissed him off royally.
“Sasha, get the fuck out of my room!” Mark screamed.
Sasha turned from the laundry she was gathering and faced Mark.
“I was told to do the wash,” she said in a flat tone of voice.
Sasha was 'mind fucked.' Mark didn't know why, but she been given a mind fucking that made her an emotionless robot. Yes, she would give you a direct answer, and even could think out a problem; but her mind twisting was so tight, that her eyes looked dead and she was but a shell of a human.
When Mark looked at her, an old memory came to him. He wasn't sure if it was a memory, or a dream; but it was of him being held down, and someone dripping something that burned into his eyes. It was so foggy that he wasn't sure if it was real or from a bad dream, but the hatred was real.
“I said get out!”
Sasha ignored Mark's orders and went back to gathering laundry and that pissed Mark off even more, looking over at Penny, Mark ordered, “If she doesn’t get out, BITE her!”
As Penny lunged at her, Sasha screamed and ran out of the room, This wasn't the first time Mark sicced Penny on Sasha. As long as Sasha was out the door before Penny got to her, she was safe.
Mark then headed for his walk-in closet, looking for something to wear.
Di found Sasha once more hiding in a front hallway closet and she sighed.
“She hiding again,” she said to Lisa, who was coming out of their room.
“Did she get bit again?” Lisa asked as she started heading for Mark's room.
Di and Lisa had ordered Sasha to say away from Mark. It was very clear that Mark disliked her. He couldn't explain why, but it was very clear. The first day he'd seen her, Mark had freaked out. It had taken hours to calm him down.
Then Mark found away to chase her off, and Penny proved all too ready to attack Sasha.
What Mark didn't know, was that Di didn't buy Sasha. Sasha was sentenced to serve the one person she had harmed, for the rest of her life. Mark was her true owner, yet he hated her so much that no one dared to tell him that she belonged to him, out of fear he do something to her in revenge.
Sasha was ordered to say away from Mark, but this was counter to her now ingrained need to serve him. It made it so she was drawn to him, and placed her in danger of being attacked.
Lisa entered Mark's room, and found Penny laying in front of the closet door again, as Lisa walked over to the door Penny stood up and moved out of her way. The door silently slid open, and Lisa frowned. Mark was sleeping in his own closet. She knew it wasn't from fear, but exhaustion. Mark had once more worked himself too hard. He had passed out the first time he slowed down.
Lisa sat beside Mark's sleeping form on the floor, and gently brushed his cheek.
“Wakie, wakie.”
Mark stirred, and opened his eyes with a smile.
“A little too much excitement, this morning?” Lisa asked.
“I took a shower.”
“Was that all you did?” Lisa asked knowing full well that Mark must have had a run in with Sasha again.
Mark knew that Lisa knew what had happened. There was no hiding it from her or from Di.
“Did she hide, again?”
Lisa brushed the hair out of Marks eyes as he lay there.
“Yes, she did. I wish you would give her a chance. She only means to serve, nothing more or less.”
“But I don't like her.”
“I know. But until you can tell us why, we can't fix that,” answered Lisa.
Mark couldn't tell Lisa why he didn't like Sasha, he just didn't.
“Why don't you get back in bed? I will have Tina bring you some breakfast.”