A Small Unhealthy World

I opened my eyes and saw the usual white walls. Everything was the same. The blinding white walls, sheets, the beeping machinery, the IV in my left arm. But something wasn't the same, and I felt like kicking myself for not noticing. There was another person in my hospital room, except he wasn't a visitor, he was a patient. He was in the same ward as me, so I figured he was in here for the same reason I was, diabetes.

I didn't know about my diabetes, so I kept on eating what I shouldn't have. And then I started losing lots of weight, even though I was stuffing my face. I was also not myself, like I had tragic mood swings, and even my best girl friends could tell that it wasn't PMS.

`So my parents took me to the local hospital, and BAM! The doctor said that I had diabetes, and my blood sugar was in the high 700's, when the highest it should be is 120. I didn't know anything about diabetes, so I was scared. But the doctor said I was going to be fine, as long as I knew how to treat it, and stayed in the hospital for a couple of days. I have been here for two days now, and have 3 more days to go. Yeah, my blood sugar is just that high.

So this boy should be in here for diabetes too. He had brown curly hair, looked around my age, and an IV in his arm too. I couldn't see his eyes because he was asleep, but he did look really cute anyways. I looked on his side of the room and felt like kicking myself again, there were more people in the room.

There were two guys on his side, and they were both asleep. One of them was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, and the other boy was sitting on a chair, with his head on the bed. In my angle this looked like a true Kodak moment.

The curly headed boy started stirring, and he eventually opened his eyes. I quickly turned on my side so I looked like I wasn't staring. I heard some movements and then I heard someone grumbling, "Wake up, Kevin."

More movements, a yawn, and then a,
"Hey buddy, you're awake! How do you feel?"

"Better, where am I?"

"You are in hospital."

"Why?"

"Because you passed out in the doctor's office. Do you remember what the doctor said?"

"Yeah………….he said I have diabetes………I just remember that I kept on thinking…..'why me?'" I heard someone sigh. I felt like sighing to, but I didn't. I felt like an intruder listening to their personal conversation.

"Hey, wake up Joe." I heard more movements then someone whisper a "Joe, wake up!"

All the sudden I hear a loud, "I CALL THE PANCAKES!" and then people "shh-ing".

"Joe you idiot! You're gonna wake up the other patient!" then I heard a loud, "Oh! Sorry!" and more "shh-ing".

I decided to use the shouting as my excuse to "wake up". So I stirred a little before turning in their direction. I smiled, they looked like deer caught in headlights. The one that was on the floor was now standing up, shooting glances between me and the other two. The boy that was sitting on the chair was now staring at me, along with the boy in the hospital bed.

I started to feel weird with everyone staring at me so I broke the silence. "Hello, welcome to room 403."

That apparently broke the ice, because they all smiled at me.

"Thank you, my name's Nick, sorry for waking you up," said the boy from the hospital bed.

I smiled at him, "And these two goobers are my brothers, Joe" he pointed to the one that was on the floor, "and Kevin," he pointed to the one that is sitting on the chair.

I smiled at them too, "My name's Paige Henderson."

They gave me a smile, but the atmosphere became quiet, and no one attempted to break the ice.

"So…." Kevin started, trying to break the ice," if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"I just found out I had diabetes, and my blood sugar was to high. Why are you here if you don’t mind me asking?"

"Same as you, just found out I had diabetes."

"Well isn't this a small world?" Said Joe.

"A small unhealthy world," I added in.

They laughed a little and then more silence.
"So Paige, what do you do around here for fun?" Joe asked.

I just smiled at him, "Make little glove people, and leave them all around the hospital."

Joe's smile was the biggest I've seen it. "What are we waiting here for then, LET'S GO!"

"That's probably not the best idea right now Joseph," said Kevin.

"Why not!??" Nick and Joe both whined.

"Because Nick just woke up, and he's in the hospital," Kevin said in a 'duh' tone.

Nick and Joe both "Ooh-ed" before the silence settled in again. "This really is a quiet family huh?" I said, trying to get everyone talking again.

Nick laughed, "Not really. It's just not really a pleasant thing to wake up in the Wyckoff hospital."

"True. So how many days do you need to stay here?" I wanted to keep the conversation running.

Nick looked at Kevin, "3 more days." Kevin answered.

"That's no fair!!!!" I whined, "I had to stay here for 5 days!" everyone laughed again.

"Well on the plus side, now you have a new diabetes buddy!" Nick said, stretching his arm out for a high five. I stretched out my arm, but couldn't make it, so instead we ended up shaking "hands" with only our index finger.

A nurse came in, interrupting everyone's laughter, "Sorry guys, visiting hours are over." She smiled apologetically before leaving.

Joe sighed, "Sorry Nick." Joe and Kevin gave Nick a hug, waved to me, and then left the room.

"What time is it?" Nick asked, looking around the hospital for an actual clock. "7:00pm" I answered. Visiting hours always ended right at 7 o'clock.

Nick sighed again, "And I just woke up."

I laughed at this, "It won't matter. Nurses come in here to give you your dinner and medicine, and you're out like a light."

Nick looked like a kid that just got told he could have no more cookies. "Really?"

I slowly nodded, "But in the day time we are put through 2 hour courses where we learn to take care of the diabetes."

Nick didn't seem so convinced that going to a 2 hour course was the best, but trust me, when you're stuck in a hospital all day it's the most fun you'll ever have.

Nick and I chatted till about 9 and that's when the nurses came in and gave us our medicine. I was used to the after effects of the medicine, but Nick wasn't, so when he started yawing he was a little surprised.

"Wow, I'm really tired!" he said through a yawn.

I smiled, "It's all I the medicine. You'll fall asleep in like 2 minutes….so I guess, goodnight?"

Nick grumbled a "goodnight" and I heard him shift in his bed to get more comfortable.

I mimicked his actions, and soon fell fast asleep.