It was a cold, dreary and lifeless monday morning during my eighth grade year of middle school. The pain from my braces pulled at my teeth as I moved my tongue across the brackets that were freshly put on five days prior. The only thought that ran through my head was, ‘Only temporary, I’ll only have train tracks for a year, two years tops. ’ Slowly and dreadfully, I made my way to the bathroom but as I made it through the door frame, a dull but awkward sensation of blurriness went through my eyes. I grabbed my toothbrush, got it wet but as I placed it to my mouth it dropped.
The sound alarmed my mother, who called out and asked, “Is everything alright? ” I wanted to respond, I really did but nothing came out. My breathing felt shallow but my heart was racing to the point where it was out of my chest. I started to tumble backwards, my hand against the wall, thoughts rushing to my head. ‘Why can’t I call for my mom? Why do I feel like this? What is this feeling? What’s happening? ’ Then I crashed down against the toilet, my body gave up and this is how it showed me. My vision was blurred and to the point of pure blackness, my hearing only allowing me to hear my mom scream.
“What the hell is that Kaia?! The feeling rushed over my body, I could hear things happening all around but couldn’t respond. Until I felt a warm and familiar hand brush up against my cheek and hold my head up. Screaming from my mother to my younger brother to go and wake up my dad. Another scream to go and get the phone and call 9-1-1. What felt like hours and almost like a dream, my eyes opened to see my mom with the most concerned and frightful face ever. She had placed my head on a pillow and her cheek and ear was pressed up against the house phone. “Kaia? Can you hear me? ” She asked. The only response I could contribute was a nod.
I felt weak and my mouth felt locked. I looked over her shoulder to see my dad standing, half confused but tired as he only got two hours of sleep from working his night shift. My younger brother just staring at me and frightened. “She is very pale, almost white, her eyes too.. She almost looks like she can’t see.. she also feels like ice too.. ” my mom said into the phone. I could hear the other voice very faint saying that help was coming and to not move me. Not even long after, I heard the sirens of firefighters and ambulances surround my house. It wasn’t long till two men helped me up and into the kitchen where they brought a chair over.
Can you tell me your name sweetheart? ” one guy asked. “I uh.. Kaia Inocencio.. ” I dryly said. “Do you know where you are? ” he asked once more. “I’m home.. ” I replied. I furrowed my eyebrows when they shoved tubes up my nose to help give me oxygen. It was an unpleasant feeling and all I wanted to was for them to leave and for me to get on with my day. But my hand was grabbed and the strength pulled me up from the chair and moved me outside and onto a gurney. It was firm and cold, the EMT helping to push me in the ambulance was rough and struggled to get me in.
Once everyone was set, they drove off. The EMT in the back with me grabbed my arm and stuck in IV needle in my arm, which automatically made my arm cold. The mills hospital wasn’t far from my house, so I was transferred out from the ambulance and into a room. My mom by my side in the room. Quickly, patches were placed on me all over like my collarbones, stomach and thighs. “We are taking multiple tests to see what happened. ” the doctor said. “Am I dying? ” I asked in a jokingly but semi serious tone. My mom rolled her eyes and shook her head when she heard my silly question.
Well no, but after these tests we can find out what is wrong with you. I mean you are a healthy girl and shouldn’t be passing out. ” He replied. Passing out.. Passing out, the words pierced my ears and bounced around in my head. ‘But why? How? What’s wrong with me? ’ I thought as I waited for the doctor. I looked around the sad plain room, my IV drip slowly going out. I crank my neck to look at my mom and as soon as I did, I smiled as I saw a familiar face enter the room, I squinted hard and saw my grandma. Not having my glasses nor contacts didn’t help the situation.
Soon a nurse came into the room and started to take off the patches, which hurt as she would slowly peeled it off. My mom started to ask questions, but being myself I drowned out the conversation and watched as she peeled the patches from my skin. A couple of minutes later the doctor came in and had a board. “Well the good news was with all the tests, there was nothing else there.. ” he said. “Nothing else there?.. ” my mom asked. “Well because Kaia is healthy and seems to have no background of medical related issues there was nothing else to be found except your daughter is anemic. ” He said.
My mom nodded and looked at me. A- an.. Anem.. what? ” i asked. “You have really low iron and haven’t drank a lot of water and it seems like you haven’t eaten in awhile..? ” He said with concern. “She just got her braces on and has been complaining about pain but I didn’t think it was this bad.. ” My mom said as she butted into the conversation between me and the doctor. “Ah very well then. Well among that, you have low iron and I suggest steaks and or iron supplement pills. Drink enough water everyday to avoid this. Before you go home, grab some gatorade to replenish your body and some food. Otherwise you are all set to leave. he said and left the room.
“Well that was lousy,” I said as i got up and threw on my torn brown uggs. “Oh my god Kaia, you nearly scared me half to death and that’s all you have to say? ” she said. “Yup. ” I replied. She just nodded her head and walked out and exited the building while I followed. We waited as my grandma went to get her car. It was cold and crisp and almost noon. Finally my grandma pulled up and we got in and drove. In all honestly, I had a lot to say but kept it to a minimum. I just figured if I was told what to do just to follow what the doctor said I should be alright, right?
